Daniel Zwicker
Encyclopedia
Daniel Zwicker was a German physician from Danzig, and a Socinian theologian and controversialist of the Polish Brethren
.
which he entered in 1629, and where he graduated with a Doctor's degree. Florian Crusius first influenced him in the direction of Unitarian
theology.
He met with considerable opposition, beginning with his brother Friedrich who had succeeded his father as minister. He left Danzig for Poland
. Meeting some Hutterite
missionaries from Slovakia
, around 1650, he spent time at Bruderhofs in the community of Andreas Ehrenpreis; but returned to Danzig. He returned to Strassin, where he lived for a while.
From 1657 he moved to the Netherlands
, and died in Amsterdam
.
. Zwicker proposed that Christ's divinity
, the pre-existence of Christ
, and the incarnation
were inventions of early heretics. It was attacked in detail by George Bull
. Bull's biographer Robert Nelson
considered him an influential Unitarian, writing:
He was criticized by Samuel Przypkowski
, and fell into controversy with Jan Amos Komenský (Comenius)
. Following David Blondel
's Joanna Papissa (1657) which disproved the historical reality of Pope Joan
Zwicker criticized the Joanna Papissa restituta of Samuel Desmarets (Maresius)
anonymously, in a work published with those of Étienne de Courcelles
.
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...
.
Life
He was the son of Friedrich Zwicker, Lutheran minister of the Church of St. Bartholomew at Danzig. He was educated for the medical profession at the University of KönigsbergUniversity of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
which he entered in 1629, and where he graduated with a Doctor's degree. Florian Crusius first influenced him in the direction of Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
theology.
He met with considerable opposition, beginning with his brother Friedrich who had succeeded his father as minister. He left Danzig for Poland
Poland
Poland , 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...
. Meeting some Hutterite
Hutterite
Hutterites are a communal branch of Anabaptists who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the 16th century. Since the death of their founder Jakob Hutter in 1536, the beliefs of the Hutterites, especially living in a community of goods and absolute...
missionaries from Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, around 1650, he spent time at Bruderhofs in the community of Andreas Ehrenpreis; but returned to Danzig. He returned to Strassin, where he lived for a while.
From 1657 he moved to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and died in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Works
His main theological interest lay in patristics. His Irenicum Irenicorum (1658) attempted to reconstruct Christian theology before the Nicene CreedNicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
. Zwicker proposed that Christ's divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
, the pre-existence of Christ
Pre-existence of Christ
The pre-existence of Christ refers to the doctrine of the ontological or personal existence of Christ before his conception. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian view, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis called the Logos or Word...
, and the incarnation
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
were inventions of early heretics. It was attacked in detail by George Bull
George Bull
George Bull was an English theologian and Bishop of St David's.-Life:He was born, 25 March 1634, in the parish of St. Cuthbert, Wells, and educated in the grammar school at Wells, and then at Blundell's School in Tiverton under Samuel Butler. Before he was fourteen years old he went into...
. Bull's biographer Robert Nelson
Robert Nelson (nonjuror)
Robert Nelson was an English lay religious writer and nonjuror.-Life:He was born in London on 22 June 1656, the only surviving son of John Nelson, a merchant in the Turkey trade, by Delicia, daughter of Lewis and sister of Sir Gabriel Roberts, who, like John Nelson, was a member of the Levant...
considered him an influential Unitarian, writing:
He was criticized by Samuel Przypkowski
Samuel Przypkowski
Samuel 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...
, and fell into controversy with Jan Amos Komenský (Comenius)
Comenius
John Amos Comenius ; ; Latinized: Iohannes Amos Comenius) was a Czech teacher, educator, and writer. He served as the last bishop of Unity of the Brethren, and became a religious refugee and one of the earliest champions of universal education, a concept eventually set forth in his book Didactica...
. Following David Blondel
David Blondel
David Blondel was a French Protestant clergyman, historian and classical scholar.-Life:He was born at Châlons-en-Champagne. Ordained in 1614, he had positions as parish priest at Houdan and Roucy. After 1644, he was relieved of duties, and supported free to study full time.In 1650 he succeeded GJ...
's Joanna Papissa (1657) which disproved the historical reality of Pope Joan
Pope Joan
Pope Joan is a legendary female Pope who, it is purported, reigned for a few years some time in the Middle Ages. The story first appeared in the writings of 13th-century chroniclers, and subsequently spread through Europe...
Zwicker criticized the Joanna Papissa restituta of Samuel Desmarets (Maresius)
Samuel Maresius
Samuel Maresius was a French-Dutch Reformed theologian ad controversialist.-Life:He was born at Oisement in Picardy, northern France. He studied in Paris, in Saumur Academy under Gomarus, and in Geneva at the time of the Synod of Dort. He was ordained in 1620, and preachedat Laon until a...
anonymously, in a work published with those of Étienne de Courcelles
Étienne de Courcelles
Étienne de Courcelles was an Arminian Greek scholar and translator.He studied from 1609 in Zürich, and after was French Protestant minister of Amiens, translator of Grotius, and successor of Simon Episcopius at the Remonstrant seminary in Amsterdam...
.
Further reading
- Peter G. Bietenholz (1997), Daniel Zwicker (1612–1678). Peace, Tolerance and God the One and Only