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Georg Calixtus and the Humanist Tradition

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Georg Calixtus and the Humanist Tradition Georg Calixtus and the Humanist Tradition Christian Thorsten Callisen Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning) Finsia Postgraduate Certificate in Business USQ Research Students Centre Division of Research & Commercialisation Queensland University of Technology Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Research) 2010 i Keywords Georg Calixtus (1586–1656); Isaac Casaubon (1559–1614); humanism; ars historica; consensus antiquitatis; calixtine theology; irenicism; Renaissance; history of ideas; early modern Europe ii Abstract Georg Calixtus (1586–1656) was a Lutheran theologian, prominent in the German lands during the first half of the seventeenth century. Existing research focuses on Calixtus‘ contributions to religious and theological debates, particularly in regard to his role in the Syncretistic Controversy of the latter half of the seventeenth century, and in regard to his unique position as a Lutheran who aspired to reunion between the different Christian confessions. This thesis problematises this focus on Calixtus by theologians and ecclesiastical historians, and argues that the genesis and transmission of his ideas cannot be fully appreciated without considering his relationship with the broader intellectual milieu of early modern Europe. It does this by exploring Calixtus‘ interaction with the humanist tradition, in particular by reconsidering his relationship with Isaac Casaubon (1559–1614), and by exploring his work in light of intellectual movements that were taking place outside the Christian church. In so doing, this thesis argues that Calixtus made contributions to early modern thought that have been overlooked in the existing literature. It also becomes apparent that much research remains to be done to gain a more accurate picture of his place in the early modern intellectual landscape, and of his legacy to later generations of scholars. iii Table of Contents Keywords ..................................................................................................................... i Abstract ....................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... iii List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................ iv Statement of Original Authorship ............................................................................ v Acknowledgements.................................................................................................... vi 1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Impetus / Research Question ......................................................................... 5 1.2. A Note on Sources, Catholicity, and Creeds ................................................. 8 1.3. Summary—Introduction .............................................................................. 14 2. Context—Background and Biography .................................................... 16 2.1. The Confessionalization Thesis ................................................................... 17 2.2. The Early Years / University ....................................................................... 21 2.3. The Scholars ................................................................................................ 27 2.3.1. Jan Gruter ............................................................................................. 27 2.3.2. Cornelius Martini ................................................................................. 28 2.3.3. Philipp Melanchthon ............................................................................ 29 2.3.4. Balthasar Mentzer ................................................................................ 31 2.3.5. David Pareus ........................................................................................ 33 2.3.6. Summary—The Scholars ..................................................................... 35 2.4. The Controversies ........................................................................................ 36 2.5. The Calixtine Legacy to Lower Saxony ...................................................... 43 2.6. Summary—Background and Biography ..................................................... 45 3. Calixtus and Humanism: A Partial View? .............................................. 47 3.1. The Genesis of a Calixtine consensus antiquitatis ...................................... 48 3.2. Humanism, Calixtus, and History ............................................................... 52 3.2.1. Merkt and Schüssler ............................................................................. 55 3.3. Summary—Calixtus and Humanism ........................................................... 59 4. Isaac Casaubon and the Consensus of Antiquity ................................... 61 4.1. The consensus antiquitatis of Cassander, Dominis, and Calixtus ............... 62 4.2. Isaac Casaubon ............................................................................................ 68 4.3. Casaubon in Calixtus ................................................................................... 73 4.4. Summary—Isaac Casaubon and the Consensus of Antiquity ..................... 81 5. On the Study of History ............................................................................ 83 5.1. The ars historica ......................................................................................... 83 5.2. ―De studio historiarum oratio‖ .................................................................... 87 5.3. Summary—On the Study of History ........................................................... 97 6. Conclusion ................................................................................................ 101 Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 105 1. Primary Sources ........................................................................................... 105 2. Secondary Sources ....................................................................................... 109 iv List of Abbreviations ADB = Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, 55 vols. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, 1875–1912, http://www.deutsche-biographie.de (accessed March 23, 2009). ―De historia‖ = Calixtus, Georg. ―De studio historiarum oratio: 1629.‖ In Werke, 1:419–33. HAB = Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel. NDB = Neue deutsche Biographie, 23 vols to date. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 1953– , http://www.deutsche-biographie.de (accessed March 23, 2009). Werke = Calixtus, Georg. Werke in Auswahl, 4 vols. Edited by Inge Mager. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1970–82. v Statement of Original Authorship The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Christian Thorsten Callisen / /2010 vi Acknowledgements The seeds for this thesis were sown in 2008, when my grandma sent me an email telling me that one of my ancestors had been friends with Philipp Melanchthon and Martin Luther. Although the material facts turned out to be a little different, her email piqued my interest, and my tenth great-uncle remains the subject of this study. Without that message from my grandma, Rosemarie Callisen, this thesis would not exist, and it is to her that it is dedicated. Of course, over the last year and a half many debts have been incurred, and I cannot acknowledge them all here. However, there are several individuals whom I would like to make note of. First, I would like to thank my family—Mum, Thorkil, Caroline, and Nicholas—and my dearest friends, Bob and Andrew, for standing by me, even if they watched with incredulity as I made the leap from bank manager to intellectual historian. I would also like to thank my partner‘s family, especially Graham, Cheryl, Chris, and Auntie Bev, for welcoming me with open arms and for helping to make the transition in my private life over the last couple of years even easier than the transition in my professional life. To my supervisors, Associate Professor Gary Ianziti and Professor Gavin Kendall, I would like to express my sincere thanks and admiration. Gary‘s keen eye and firm editorial hand, and Gavin‘s incisive questioning, have helped to shape this thesis from the beginning, and their enthusiasm and support have made the whole journey entirely enjoyable. My thanks are also due various other scholars who took the time to answer questions and offer useful advice to an anonymous student from the other side of the world: Professor Dr Christoph Böttigheimer, Dr William Kelly, Rev. Dr Benjamin Mayes, and Rev. Dr Quentin Stewart; and especially Professor Constantin Fasolt, Professor Dr Inge Mager, and Dr Dirk van Miert for suggesting sources that I might otherwise have overlooked. I must also offer my gratitude for the incisive and constructive criticism of two anonymous reviewers from the Journal of the History of Ideas, whose feedback has helped to make chapter four much stronger than it might otherwise be. Others have contributed to this project in ways they may
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