John Slotanus
Encyclopedia
John Slotanus (died July 9, 1560) was a Dutch
Roman Catholic
polemic
al writer.
, Brabant
. He joined the Dominican Order
at Cologne
about 1525. For many years he worked to defend Roman Catholicism against the its opponents through preaching and writing. Later he taught sacred letters at Cologne, and in 1554 was made a Doctor of Theology
. About this same time he became prior
of his convent at Cologne, and as such exercised the offices of censor of the faith and papal inquisitor throughout the Archdiocese of Cologne and the Rhine country. In the discharge of these duties Slotanus came into conflict with the learned Justus Velsius
, who in 1556, on account of teachings deemed heretical by the Church, was obliged to leave Cologne. The vehement writings which Velsius afterwards published against the Cologne theologians moved Slotanus to write two works covering nearly all the heretical doctrines of his time. He died in Cologne.
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...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
polemic
Polemic
A polemic is a variety of arguments or controversies made against one opinion, doctrine, or person. Other variations of argument are debate and discussion...
al writer.
Life
Slotanus was born in GeffenGeffen (Netherlands)
Geffen had been an independent town in the Netherlands until 1993, when it became a part of Maasdonk in the province of North Brabant.Archeological findings show that the area had been inhabited since the Stone age . The date of settlement is not known. The first time Geffen was mentioned in...
, Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. He joined the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
about 1525. For many years he worked to defend Roman Catholicism against the its opponents through preaching and writing. Later he taught sacred letters at Cologne, and in 1554 was made a Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
. About this same time he became prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of his convent at Cologne, and as such exercised the offices of censor of the faith and papal inquisitor throughout the Archdiocese of Cologne and the Rhine country. In the discharge of these duties Slotanus came into conflict with the learned Justus Velsius
Justus Velsius
Justus Velsius, Haganus, or Joost Welsens in Dutch was a Dutch humanist, physician, and mathematician....
, who in 1556, on account of teachings deemed heretical by the Church, was obliged to leave Cologne. The vehement writings which Velsius afterwards published against the Cologne theologians moved Slotanus to write two works covering nearly all the heretical doctrines of his time. He died in Cologne.