Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant
Encyclopedia
The Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant or Library of the Polish Brethren called Unitarians 1668 (not 1656 as incorrectly listed in some catalogues) is a collection of writings of the Polish Brethren
published by Frans Kuyper
, Daniel Bakkamude, and Benedykt's father Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. (d.1678) in Amsterdam, with Pieter van der Meersche in Leiden.
Many of these works had earlier been printed by Rodecki and Sternacki at the printery of the Racovian Academy
1602-1638.
had a collection of the original Racovian books printed by Sternacki about 1630, possibly donated by John Hales
, but these had disappeared by 1674. John Locke possessed a full set of Vol.I-XVIII and was personally involved in commissioning Vol.IX. Pierre Bayle
appears to have had access to a full set.
and Racovian New Testament
which had been published in the Racovian Academy
itself, were also reprinted in Amsterdam.
Following completion of the above series Benedykt Wiszowaty
was also involved in the other major, but much shorter, Socinian Bibliotheca: The Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum
, or Antitrinitarian Library, first published in 1684. This is a posthumous work of Christopher Sandius
an exiled Prussian Arian
in Amsterdam, in which he chronologically lists all the Arian
and Socinian
or Antitrinitarian authors from the Reformation to 1684, with a brief account of their lives, and a catalogue of their works. Rather than being a Library, as Kuyper's publications, it is more a Bibliography.
The Hungarian Unitarian community also published texts in Latin which circulated at the same period, particularly from 1696 after the establishment of a Unitarian printhing house in "Claudiopolis", namely Kolozsvár
. Following the involvement of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. and Benedykt Wiszowaty in the Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum, Benedykt's son Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr.
, great-great-grandson of Fausto Sozzini, taught in the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy
1726-1740, in the years leading to the drafting of the Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios (recognised by Joseph II
in 1787).
Polish Brethren
The Polish Brethren were members of the Minor Reformed Church of Poland, a Nontrinitarian Protestant church that existed in Poland from 1565 to 1658...
published by Frans Kuyper
Frans Kuyper
Frans Kuyper was a Dutch Socinian writer and printer.First a Remonstrant minister at Vlaardingen, he left the church on his objection to infant baptism...
, Daniel Bakkamude, and Benedykt's father Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. (d.1678) in Amsterdam, with Pieter van der Meersche in Leiden.
Many of these works had earlier been printed by Rodecki and Sternacki at the printery of the Racovian Academy
Racovian Academy
The Racovian Academy was a school of the Socinian Polish Brethren operating in Raków, Kielce County, Poland 1602-1638, and publisher of the Racovian Catechism in 1605....
1602-1638.
Volumes
Volumes 1-8 1665,1668, 1692- Vol.I-II Fausto Sozzini, Fausti Socini opera omnia inc. Tractatus de justificatione etc. (published 1668, after the 1665 publication of Vol.III-V)
- Vol.III-V: Johann Crell, Joannis Crellii opera omnia inc. some works by Szlichtyng, based on lectures of Crellius. (4 tom. in 3 vol.)
- Vol.VI Jonasz SzlichtyngJonasz SzlichtyngJonasz Szlichtyng was a Polish nobleman, theologian of the Socinian Polish Brethren and father of Krzysztof Szlichtyng....
, Jonæ Slichtingii... commentaria posthuma, in plerosque Novi Testamenti libros... hactenus inedita, inc. de magistratu, bello, et privata defensione, ... didactica, et polemica etc. (2 tom. in one volume) - Vol.VII-VIII: Johann Ludwig von WolzogenJohann Ludwig von WolzogenJohann Ludwig von Wolzogen was an Austrian nobleman and Socinian theologian.Wolzogen was born in Nové Zámky , known then as Neuhäusel in German and Érsekújvár in Hungarian. He inherited the titles of Baron of Tarenfeldt and Freiherr of Neuhäusel.Comenius became acquainted with Wolzogen in 1638....
, Johannis Ludovici Wolzogenii... opera omnia, exegetica, didactica, et polemica, etc. - Vol.IX. Samuel PrzypkowskiSamuel PrzypkowskiSamuel Przypkowski was a Polish Socinian theologian, a leading figure in the Polish Brethren and an advocate of religious toleration. In Dissertatio de pace et concordia ecclesiae, published in 1628 in Amsterdam, he called for mutual tolerance by Christians...
, Cogitationes sacrae ad initium Evangelii Matthaei et omnes Epistolas apostolicas. 1692 (edited by John Locke's correspondent Philippus van Limborch (1633-1712) the Dutch Remonstrant theologian). This final volume was prepared for publication by Benedykt WiszowatyBenedykt WiszowatyBenedykt Wiszowaty was a Polish Socinian author and publisher.He was the great-grandson of Fausto Sozzini, grandson of Stanisław Wiszowaty, and son of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. and Aleksandra Rupniowska. Benedykt married Katarzyna Przypkowska and was father of Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr...
(the great-grandson of Faustus Socinius), who added eight brief essays on the history of PolishPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Socinianism.
Circulation
The Eton College libraryEton College Collections
The Eton College collections are a collection of items of significant cultural or scientific value kept by Eton College. They include College Library, College Archives, Eton College Natural History Museum, Casa Guidi, Eton College Antiquities Collection and The Museum of Eton Life. The Collection...
had a collection of the original Racovian books printed by Sternacki about 1630, possibly donated by John Hales
John Hales
John Hales was an English theologian born in St. James's parish, Bath, England. As eminent divine and critic, his singular talents and learning have procured him by common consent the title of the "Ever-memorable".-Life:...
, but these had disappeared by 1674. John Locke possessed a full set of Vol.I-XVIII and was personally involved in commissioning Vol.IX. Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
appears to have had access to a full set.
Related publications
Outside the series of the Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum, various other Racovian and Socinian texts were printed or reprinted in Amsterdam by the same group of exiles, printers and booksellers. The Racovian CatechismRacovian Catechism
The Racovian Catechism is a nontrinitarian statement of faith from the 16th century. The title Racovian comes from the publishers, the Polish Brethren, who had founded a sizeable town in Raków, Kielce County, where the Racovian Academy and printing press was founded by Jakub Sienieński in...
and Racovian New Testament
Racovian New Testament
The Racovian New Testament refers to two separate translations produced by the Unitarian Polish Brethren at the printing presses of the Racovian Academy, Raków, Poland.-Enyedi's "Preface to the Racovian New Testament":...
which had been published in the Racovian Academy
Racovian Academy
The Racovian Academy was a school of the Socinian Polish Brethren operating in Raków, Kielce County, Poland 1602-1638, and publisher of the Racovian Catechism in 1605....
itself, were also reprinted in Amsterdam.
Following completion of the above series Benedykt Wiszowaty
Benedykt Wiszowaty
Benedykt Wiszowaty was a Polish Socinian author and publisher.He was the great-grandson of Fausto Sozzini, grandson of Stanisław Wiszowaty, and son of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. and Aleksandra Rupniowska. Benedykt married Katarzyna Przypkowska and was father of Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr...
was also involved in the other major, but much shorter, Socinian Bibliotheca: The Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum
Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum
The Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum, or Antitrinitarian Library, first published in 1684, is a posthumous work of Christopher Sandius , an exiled Prussian Antitrinitarian in Amsterdam, in which he chronologically lists all the Arian and Socinian or Antitrinitarian authors from the Reformation to...
, or Antitrinitarian Library, first published in 1684. This is a posthumous work of Christopher Sandius
Christopher Sandius
Christopher Sandius Jr. was an Arian writer and publisher of Socinian works without himself being a Socinian....
an exiled Prussian Arian
Arian
Arian may refer to:* Arius, a Christian presbyter in the 3rd and 4th century* a given name in different cultures: Aria, Aryan or Arian...
in Amsterdam, in which he chronologically lists all the Arian
Arian
Arian may refer to:* Arius, a Christian presbyter in the 3rd and 4th century* a given name in different cultures: Aria, Aryan or Arian...
and Socinian
Socinianism
Socinianism is a system of Christian doctrine named for Fausto Sozzini , which was developed among the Polish Brethren in the Minor Reformed Church of Poland during the 15th and 16th centuries and embraced also by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the same period...
or Antitrinitarian authors from the Reformation to 1684, with a brief account of their lives, and a catalogue of their works. Rather than being a Library, as Kuyper's publications, it is more a Bibliography.
The Hungarian Unitarian community also published texts in Latin which circulated at the same period, particularly from 1696 after the establishment of a Unitarian printhing house in "Claudiopolis", namely Kolozsvár
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
. Following the involvement of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. and Benedykt Wiszowaty in the Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum, Benedykt's son Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr.
Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr.
Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr. was a grandson of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. He taught at the Unitarian Gymnasium in Cluj-Napoca from 1726 or before....
, great-great-grandson of Fausto Sozzini, taught in the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy
John Sigismund Unitarian Academy
The John Sigismund Unitarian Academy, located in Kolozsvár , was a theological school founded in 1557 by the Unitarian Diocese of Transylvania.-Foundation:...
1726-1740, in the years leading to the drafting of the Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios (recognised by Joseph II
Joseph II
Joseph II may refer to:*Joseph II *Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Austria*Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople *Pope Joseph II of Alexandria...
in 1787).