Johannes Crellius
Encyclopedia
Johannes Crellius (26 July Hellmitzheim 1590 – Raków 1633) was a Polish
and German
theologian
.
in Kitzingen
District), in Franken, northern Bavaria. His son Krzysztof Crell-Spinowski
(1622–1680), and his grandsons Christopher Crell Jr. M.D. of London (1658-), Samuel Crellius
(1660–1747) and Paweł Crell-Spinowski (1677-), as well as his great-grandsons in Georgia, United States, were all proponents of Socinian views.
Crellius moved to Poland at the age of 22, and quickly became known as one of the chief theologians of the Socinians, also known as Polish brethren
. From 1613 he worked at the Racovian Academy
at Raków, of which he was the rector from 1616 to 1621. In 1630 he worked with Joachim Stegmann Sr. in the production of a German version of the Racovian New Testament
.
1602-1638. These and others then appeared as Vol.III-V of Frans Kuyper
's Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant ("Library of the Polish Brethren called Unitarians") Amsterdam 1668 Crell also featured in Christopher Sand's bibliography and biographical collection Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum
(1684). These works were widely distributed being owned by Voltaire
, John Locke
and other Enlightenment
thinkers.
Since Crell was not translated into English, knowledge of his works passed out of the later generations of English Unitarians. However Thomas Belsham
is one of the Unitarian authors who had access to Crell in the Latin and Belsham repeatedly cites Crell in his The Epistles of Paul the Apostle Translated, with an Exposition, and Notes (1822).
translations
misattributed
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...
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.
Life
Johann Crell's father, Johann Crell Sr., was pastor of the church at Hellmitzheim, (today part of IphofenIphofen
Iphofen is a town in the district of Kitzingen, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 9 km southeast of Kitzingen along the Bundesstrasse 8....
in Kitzingen
Kitzingen
Kitzingen is a town in the German state of Bavaria, capital of the district Kitzingen. It is part of Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants.Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County is the largest wine producer in Bavaria...
District), in Franken, northern Bavaria. His son Krzysztof Crell-Spinowski
Krzysztof Crell-Spinowski
Krzysztof Crell-Spinowski was an Arian theologian, pastor of the church of the Polish Brethren....
(1622–1680), and his grandsons Christopher Crell Jr. M.D. of London (1658-), Samuel Crellius
Samuel Crellius
Samuel Crell-Spinowski was an Arian philosopher and theologian, pastor of the church of the Polish Brethren....
(1660–1747) and Paweł Crell-Spinowski (1677-), as well as his great-grandsons in Georgia, United States, were all proponents of Socinian views.
Crellius moved to Poland at the age of 22, and quickly became known as one of the chief theologians of the Socinians, also known as Polish brethren
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...
. From 1613 he worked at 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....
at Raków, of which he was the rector from 1616 to 1621. In 1630 he worked with Joachim Stegmann Sr. in the production of a German version of the 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":...
.
Influence
Several of Crell's works were printed first by Rodecki and Sternacki at the printery of the Racovian AcademyRacovian 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. These and others then appeared as Vol.III-V of 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...
's Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant ("Library of the Polish Brethren called Unitarians") Amsterdam 1668 Crell also featured in Christopher Sand's bibliography and biographical collection 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...
(1684). These works were widely distributed being owned by Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
and other Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
thinkers.
Since Crell was not translated into English, knowledge of his works passed out of the later generations of English Unitarians. However Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham was an English Unitarian minister- Life :Belsham was born in Bedford, England, and was the elder brother of William Belsham, the English political writer and historian. He was educated at the dissenting academy at Daventry, where for seven years he acted as assistant tutor...
is one of the Unitarian authors who had access to Crell in the Latin and Belsham repeatedly cites Crell in his The Epistles of Paul the Apostle Translated, with an Exposition, and Notes (1822).
Works
- 1623 Ad librum Hugonis Grotii quem de satisfactione Christi... - on Grotius.
- 1630 De Deo et eius attributis... - on God and his attributes.
- 1631 De uno Deo Patre libri duo - on One God, vol.II
- 1635 Prima ethices elementa - on the elements of ethics.
- 1637 C. Vindiciae pro religionis liberate - on the freedom of conscience.
- 1665 His works were published first (before Vol.I-II) as part of the series Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum by Frans KuyperFrans KuyperFrans Kuyper was a Dutch Socinian writer and printer.First a Remonstrant minister at Vlaardingen, he left the church on his objection to infant baptism...
in AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam 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...
.
translations
- A learned and exceeding well-compiled vindication of liberty of religion by Johann Crell
- De la tolérance dans la religion ou de la liberté de consience. Par Crellius. L'intolérance convaincue de crime et de folie. Ouvrage traduit de l'anglois. (French Edition)
misattributed
- Hermann Cingallus Scriptura S. Trinitatis Revelatrix (GoudaGoudaGouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
1678) attributed by John Locke to Crell but Robert Wallace (Unitarian)Robert Wallace (Unitarian)Robert Wallace was an English Unitarian minister, now best known for his Antitrinitarian Biography .-Life:He was born at Dudley, Worcestershire, on 26 February 1791. In 1808 he came under the influence of James Hews Bransby, who prepared him for entrance at Manchester College, then at York, under...
reattributes to Christopher SandiusChristopher SandiusChristopher Sandius Jr. was an Arian writer and publisher of Socinian works without himself being a Socinian.... - Icander Das fast auf dem höchsten Gipfel der Vollkommenheit prangende Dresden, 1726 - a work by a Swedish architect on baroque Dresden with no connection to Socinianism, (cataloguing error by web-based reprint houses)