Georgius Cassander’s ’De officio pii viri’ (1561)

The printing history of perhaps the most influential tract in the history of irenicism (church reunification), Georgius Cassander's De officio pii viri, in 1561 presented at the Colloquy at Poissy, together with an overview of its afterlife and the numerous reactions it provoked, both by Protestants and Roman Catholics, will contribute to our understanding of the history of erasmian humanist irenicism.

Two contemporary translations, one in German by Georg von Cell and one in French by Jean Hotman, show us how De officio pii viri was adapted to the ongoing struggle for church peace in different parts of Europe, a struggle that was led by jurists and theologians, outstanding members of the Republic of Letters, who were able to spread their ideas by their large epistolary networks.

The life story of De officio pii viri highlights the birth, expansion and failure of ideas; how they profit from the support of the mighty and how they fail when opposed by the uncompromising: those who think they speak in the name of God.

Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte first began publication in 1925 and can claim to be one of the most tradition-rich historical book series. It presents research on the history of Christian churches and dogmas through the ages but also publishes papers on related disciplines such as archeology, history of art and literary studies. One of the series’ leading features is its consistent striving to combine historical-methodical precision with systematic contextualization of each examined topic. In recent years the series has increasingly publishedstudies on themes relating to the history of Christian culture and ideas, viewed within a methodically open perspective on the history of Christianity.

The printing history of perhaps the most influential tract in the history of irenicism (church reunification), Georgius Cassander's De officio pii viri, in 1561 presented at the Colloquy at Poissy, together with an overview of its afterlife and the numerous reactions it provoked, both by Protestants and Roman Catholics, will contribute to our understanding of the history of erasmian humanist irenicism.

Two contemporary translations, one in German by Georg von Cell and one in French by Jean Hotman, show us how De officio pii viri was adapted to the ongoing struggle for church peace in different parts of Europe, a struggle that was led by jurists and theologians, outstanding members of the Republic of Letters, who were able to spread their ideas by their large epistolary networks.

The life story of De officio pii viri highlights the birth, expansion and failure of ideas; how they profit from the support of the mighty and how they fail when opposed by the uncompromising: those who think they speak in the name of God.