Valentinus Smalcius
Encyclopedia
Valentinus Smalcius (Gotha
, 1572 – Raków, Kielce county 1622) was a German Socinian theologian. He is known for his German translation of the Racovian Catechism
, and Racovian New Testament
(1606) translated from Greek into Polish. A migrant to Poland, he became largely Polonised towards the end of his life.
Schmalz was converted by Andrzej Wojdowski
while at Strassburg University around 1592, and emigrated to Poland on graduation, after which he taught at Smigiel, Lublin, and t. Stanislaw Kot
records that Schmalz became "a noteworthy example of the assimilative power of Raków". Like many of the emigrant Germans, French and Italians who came to Poland he married a Pole and brought up his children as Poles. Schmalz became so thorough Polonised that in addition to the Polish New Testament he composed Polish hymns, and kept his personal diary in Polish.
He was a preacher of the Polish Brethren
at Raków, Kielce County. The origins of the Racovian Catechism are not quite clear. A traditional view is that Smalcius put it together, perhaps with collaborators, from literary remains of Faustus Socinus. Another is that it was developed by Smalcius and Hieronim Moskorzowski
(Moscorovius) in 1605; others say Moskorzowski wrote it with Piotr Stoiński Jr.
(son of Pierre Statorius
) and Johannes Völkel
, and Smalcius was the translator into German for publication in 1608. In any case the Catechism was constructed by disciples of Socinus, and Smalcius probably had a leading role.
Moskorzowski exchanged pamphlets with the Jesuit Piotr Skarga
, and Smalcius supported him. He later supported Völkel in a long controversy with the Jesuit Martinus Smiglecius
. He also attacked the views of the Lutheran Frantzius (Wolfgang Franz).
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 1572 – Raków, Kielce county 1622) was a German Socinian theologian. He is known for his German translation of 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...
, and 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":...
(1606) translated from Greek into Polish. A migrant to Poland, he became largely Polonised towards the end of his life.
Schmalz was converted by Andrzej Wojdowski
Andrzej Wojdowski
Andrzej Wojdowski was a Polish Unitarian scholar.In 1598 he and Krzysztof Ostorodt were sent as Socinian missionaries to the Netherlands, where in Leiden they stirred up a great controversy by their success in converting the University's students to Unitarianism. Among their converts was Ernst...
while at Strassburg University around 1592, and emigrated to Poland on graduation, after which he taught at Smigiel, Lublin, and t. Stanislaw Kot
Stanislaw Kot
Stanisław Kot was a Polish historian and politician, member of the Polish Government in Exile.-Life:Born in 1885 in Ruda, Ropczyce-Sędziszów County, Austria-Hungary, Kot studied philosophy at the University of Lwów, obtaining a PhD in 1911. He made several study trips to France, Germany, Sweden...
records that Schmalz became "a noteworthy example of the assimilative power of Raków". Like many of the emigrant Germans, French and Italians who came to Poland he married a Pole and brought up his children as Poles. Schmalz became so thorough Polonised that in addition to the Polish New Testament he composed Polish hymns, and kept his personal diary in Polish.
He was a preacher of 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...
at Raków, Kielce County. The origins of the Racovian Catechism are not quite clear. A traditional view is that Smalcius put it together, perhaps with collaborators, from literary remains of Faustus Socinus. Another is that it was developed by Smalcius and 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...
(Moscorovius) in 1605; others say Moskorzowski wrote it with Piotr Stoiński Jr.
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...
(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....
) and Johannes Völkel
Johannes Völkel
Johannes Völkel 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...
, and Smalcius was the translator into German for publication in 1608. In any case the Catechism was constructed by disciples of Socinus, and Smalcius probably had a leading role.
Moskorzowski exchanged pamphlets with the Jesuit Piotr Skarga
Piotr Skarga
Piotr Skarga was a Polish Jesuit, preacher, hagiographer, polemicist, and leading figure of the Counter-reformation in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was called the "Polish Bossuet" due to his oratorical abilities.He was born February 2, 1536 in Grójec, to a family of lesser landless gentry...
, and Smalcius supported him. He later supported Völkel in a long controversy with the Jesuit Martinus Smiglecius
Martinus Smiglecius
Martinus Smiglecius was a Polish Jesuit philosopher, known for his erudite scholastic Logica of 1618.-Life:He was born in Lvov c. 1564...
. He also attacked the views of the Lutheran Frantzius (Wolfgang Franz).
External links
- Christian Cyclopedia
- Excepts from Kot's Socinianism in Poland Smalc
- :de:s:ADB:Smalcius, Valentin