Isaac Orobio de Castro

Orobio Isaac de Castro (born Balthasar Orobio de Castro, * 1620 in Bragança, † 1687 in Amsterdam), from marranischer family, was a physician, philosopher and writer

Life

Balthasar Orobio de Castro was born in 1620 in northern Portugal, Bragança in a marra African family. Even as a child, he emigrated with his family to Andalusia. After studying medicine and philosophy at the University of Alcalá de Henares, he was professor of metaphysics in Salamanca and Professor of Medicine in Seville. 1654 he fell into the clutches of the Inquisition. Under the suspicion of secret Judaisierens he was imprisoned for three years. After his release, he left Spain and fled to France. In Toulouse, he was appointed professor of pharmacy.

In 1662 he moved with his family to Amsterdam, where he returned to Judaism and took the name Isaac. Orobio Isaac de Castro became a respected member of the Sephardic community. He practiced medicine and wrote poems and philosophical treatises in defense of Judaism and to combat deistic tendencies of some religionists next. Many of his writings were circulating in manuscript in the Jewish community and were not published until later. Known are his letters to his former friend Juan de Prado ( Epistola Invectiva ) and his treatise against Baruch Spinoza ( Certamen Philosophicum ). With the Remonstrant preacher Philipp van Limborch he was one of a religious debate in which John Locke was present. The resulting treatise De Veritate Christianae religionis amica collatio cum erudito Iudaeo ( friendly conversation with a learned Jew about the truth of the Christian religion ) was published in 1687 in Gouda.

Orobio Isaac de Castro died in 1687 in Amsterdam and is buried in the Portuguese- Jewish cemetery Ouderkerk.

Works (selection)

  • Epistola Invectiva Contra Prado. 1663/64
  • Certamen Philosophicum Propugnatae Veritatis Divinae ac Naturalis Adversus J. Brede Burgi Principia. Amsterdam 1684th
  • De Veritate Christianae Religionis Amica Collatio cum Judaeo erudito. Amsterdam, 1687th
  • Israel Venge ou naturelle exposure of Prophéties Hébraïques que les Chrétien appliquent à Jésus, leur prétendu messie. London 1770.
  • La observancia de la divina Ley de Mosseh. Coimbra 1925.
Marrano Sephardi Jews Deism Beth Haim of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel Encyclopaedia Judaica Joods Historisch Museum Integrated Authority File
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