Johannes Völkel
Encyclopedia
Johannes Völkel (Grimma
, c.1565-70? - Raków 1616) was a German Socinian writer.
Völkel was probably born around 1565-1570, and probably converted during his studies at the University of Wittenberg, just as Valentin Schmalz had been converted while at the University of Strassburg, in any case he had joined the Polish Brethren
by 1585.
Völkel taught at the Racovian Academy
and is often credited with a hand in the Racovian Catechism
of 1605 along with Hieronim Moskorzowski
, Piotr Stoiński
the younger (Polish-born son of Pierre Statorius
Sr.), and Valentin Schmalz
. Certainly he had a hand in the German translation of 1608. Völkel was one of several Socinians who corresponded with Grotius.
:
De vera religione was the first major systematic presentation of Socinian teaching published at the Racovian Academy
, and widely exported around Europe, and earned many responses; among them the Prodromus of the Calvinist encyclopedist Johann Heinrich Alsted
(1641), and Samuel Desmarets's negatively-annotated anti-edition "The Socinian Hydra expunged!" (1651):
(in Lithuanian: Martynas Smigleckis) who had argued against Calvinists, Lutherans, and Socinians, that the only church could be Rome.
Following Smiglecius' reply in 1615, Völkel published a further response:
Grimma
Grimma is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany on the left bank of the Mulde, southeast of Leipzig. Founded in c. 1170, it is part of the Leipzig district.- Location :...
, c.1565-70? - Raków 1616) was a German Socinian writer.
Völkel was probably born around 1565-1570, and probably converted during his studies at the University of Wittenberg, just as Valentin Schmalz had been converted while at the University of Strassburg, in any case he had joined the 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...
by 1585.
Völkel taught 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....
and is often credited with a hand in the Racovian Catechism
Racovian 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...
of 1605 along with Hieronim Moskorzowski
Hieronim Moskorzowski
Hieronim Moskorzowski Moskorzów c.1560-1625), administrator of the Racovian Academy, and writer of the Polish Brethren.He came from a noble family, received a comprehensive education, and became involved with the movement of the Polish Brethren. He prepared the Polish and Latin text of the 1605...
, Piotr Stoiński
Piotr Stoiński Jr.
Piotr Stoiński Jr. was a Polish Socinian Unitarian writer.Piotr was the son of Pierre Statorius the French Unitarian grammarian who emigrated to Poland wrote the first grammar of Polish...
the younger (Polish-born son of Pierre Statorius
Pierre Statorius
Pierre Statorius was a French grammarian and theologian, who settled among the Polish Brethren, becoming rector of a the Calvinist Academy in Pińczów at the invitation of Francesco Lismanino....
Sr.), and Valentin Schmalz
Valentinus Smalcius
Valentinus Smalcius was a German Socinian theologian. He is known for his German translation of the Racovian Catechism, and Racovian New Testament translated from Greek into Polish...
. Certainly he had a hand in the German translation of 1608. Völkel was one of several Socinians who corresponded with Grotius.
De vera religione
Völkel's major work was the legacy of the thought of Fausto Sozzini and the first generation of the Racovian academy in De vera religione, "Of True Religion". This was edited posthumously by Jan CrellJohannes Crellius
Johannes Crellius was a Polish and German theologian.-Life:...
:
- Iohannis Volkelii misnici - de vera religione libri quinque quibus praefixus est Iohannis Crellii Franci Liber de Deo et ejus attributis, ita ut unum cum illis opus constituat. Five editions were published between 1630 and 1642, being influential on John LockeJohn LockeJohn 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 others.
De vera religione was the first major systematic presentation of Socinian teaching published 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....
, and widely exported around Europe, and earned many responses; among them the Prodromus of the Calvinist encyclopedist Johann Heinrich Alsted
Johann Heinrich Alsted
Johann Heinrich Alsted was a German Calvinist minister and academic, known for his varied interests: in Ramism and Lullism, pedagogy and encyclopedias, theology and millennarianism.-Life:...
(1641), and Samuel Desmarets's negatively-annotated anti-edition "The Socinian Hydra expunged!" (1651):
- Samuel Desmarets - Hydra Socinianismi expugnata: sive, Johannis Volkelii Misnici, De vera religione, (ut falsò inscribuntur) libri quinque : quibus præfixus est Johannis Crellii Franci (ejusdem commatis) liber de Deo & ejus attributis, ita ut unum cum illis opus (integrumque, Socinianæ impietatis systema) constituat: cum eorundem refutatione exacta per additas annotationes & censuras necessarias. 1651
Other works
Völkel died before De vera religione could be published. In his life he published various pamphlets, most notably against the Lithuanian Jesuit Martinus SmigleciusMartinus Smiglecius
Martinus Smiglecius was a Polish Jesuit philosopher, known for his erudite scholastic Logica of 1618.-Life:He was born in Lvov c. 1564...
(in Lithuanian: Martynas Smigleckis) who had argued against Calvinists, Lutherans, and Socinians, that the only church could be Rome.
- Nodi Gordii à Martino Smiglecio nexi dissolutio 1613 ("The Gordian Knot of Martynas Smigleckis untied")
Following Smiglecius' reply in 1615, Völkel published a further response:
- Responsio ad vanam refutationem dissolutionis nodi Gordii a Martino Smiglecio nexi dissolutio 1618 ("A reply to the vain refutation to The Gordian Knot untied")