The Racovian Academy ('' la, Gymnasium Bonarum Artium'') was a Socinian school operated from 1602 to 1638 by the Polish Brethren in

Raków Rakow may refer to: People *Benzion Rakow (1925–1985), rabbi in London, England *Bezalel Rakow (1927–2003), rabbi of Gateshead, England * Ed Rakow (1935–2000), American baseball player * Edward F. Rakow (1861–1942) *Mary Rakow, American no ...

, Sandomierz Voivodeship of Lesser Poland. The communitarian

Arian Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by G ...

settlement of Raków was founded in 1569 by . The academy was founded in 1602 by his son, Jakub Sienieński. The zenith of the academy was 1616–1630. It was contemporaneous with the

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

Pińczów Academy, which was known "as the Sarmatian Athens". It numbered more than 1,000 students, including many foreigners. At this point it is estimated that ten to twenty percent of Polish intellectuals were Arians. The end of the Academy in 1638 was occasioned by the pretext of the alleged destruction of a roadside cross, by several students of the Academy, while on tour accompanied by a teacher Paludiusa Solomon. Jakub Zadzik,

bishop of Kraków A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

, Jerzy Ossoliński,

voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the ...

of Sandomierz, and Honorato Visconti,

papal nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international org ...

, forced the closure of the Academy and the destruction of all buildings by sentence of the

Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of ...

in April 1638. Most of the teaching staff and students went into exile in

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...

or the Netherlands.

Staff of the Academy

* Jakub Sienieński (d. 1639) - founder and administrator. Rectors: * Krzysztof Brockajus - rector 1602-1610 * Paweł Krokier - rector 1610-1616 *

Johannes Crellius Johannes Crellius (Polish: ''Jan Crell'', English: John Crell; 26 July 1590 in Hellmitzheim – 11 June 1633 in Raków) was a Polish and German theologian. Life Johann Crell's father, Johann Crell Sr., was pastor of the church at Hellmitzheim, (t ...

, German - rector 1616-1621 * Marcin Ruar, German (Martin Ruarius) - rector 1621-1622 * Joachim Stegmann Sr., German, - rector 1627?-1630? * Wawrzyniec Stegmann - rector 1634-1638 Teaching staff, in alphabetical order: * Giovanni Battista de Cetis, Italian. * Adam Gosławski (1577-1642) * Jan Licinius, linguist *

Andrzej Lubieniecki Andrzej Lubieniecki (1521–1623) was a Polish historian and priest, member of the Polish Brethren The Polish Brethren (Polish: ''Bracia Polscy'') were members of the Minor Reformed Church of Poland, a Nontrinitarian Protestant church that existed ...

Sr. (1521-1623) * Stanisław Lubieniecki Sr. (c.1558-1633) *

Krzysztof Morsztyn Jr. Krzysztof Morsztyn Jr. (c.1580 – 1642) of the Leliwa coat of arms, was a Polish nobleman, educator, starosta of Filipow, and starosta of Przewałka. He was the son of Krzysztof Morsztyn Sr. Krzysztof Morsztyn Sr. (1522–1600) of the Leliwa ...

(c.1570?-1642), son of

Krzysztof Morsztyn Sr. Krzysztof Morsztyn Sr. (1522–1600) of the Leliwa coat of arms, was founder of the Polish Brethren community in Filipów in 1585. He was father of: * Krzysztof Morsztyn Jr. (c.1580–1642) who taught at the Racovian Academy. * Elżbieta Morszt ...

(1522-1600) * Hieronim Moskorzowski (1560-1625) - Racovian Catechism, 1605 * Salomon Paludius * Piotr Stoiński Jr. (1565-1605), son of Pierre Statorius (known in Poland as Piotr Stoiński Sr. 1530-1591) * Valentinus Smalcius, German (born ''Valentin Schmalz'') (1572-1622) - The Raków New Testament 1606 * Jonasz Szlichtyng (1592-1661) * Johannes Völkel, German (?-1618) * Andrzej Wiszowaty (1608-1678) *

Andrzej Wojdowski Andrzej Wojdowski (Latin Voivodius) ( Chmielnik, 1565 – 1622) was a Polish Unitarian scholar.Biography in Article 126 ''Antitrinitarian Biography: or sketches of the lives and writings ...'' (1850), Volume 2 by Robert Wallace, p. 402- In 1598 ...

(1565-1622) Notable students at the academy, who became writers in the exile: * Christopher Crellius (1622-1680), son of

and father of

Samuel Crellius Samuel Crell-Spinowski (25 March 1660 in Kluczbork – 9 June 1747 in Amsterdam) was an Arian philosopher and theologian, pastor of the church of the Polish Brethren. Son of Christopher Crellius and grandson of Johannes Crellius. Samuel's moth ...

and Dr. Christopher Crell of London. * Andrzej Lubieniecki the younger (1590-1667), historian. *

Stanisław Lubieniecki Stanisław Lubieniecki (german: link=no, Stanislaus de Lubienietz, also ''Lubiniezky'' or ''Lubyenyetsky'') (August 23, 1623 in Raków – May 18, 1675 in Hamburg) was a Polish Socinian theologist, historian, astronomer, and writer. He is the ep ...

the younger (1623-1675), astronomer, nephew of Andrzej Lubieniecki.

Influence

:See also main articles on Polish Brethren and Socinianism The Racovian Academy served as a centre for the propagation of Socinian belief in both western and eastern Europe, in particular the Arian mission to the University of Altdorf near

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

(1615), Dutch

Remonstrants The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood) is a Protestant movement that had split from the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported Jacobus Arminius, and after his death, continued to maintain hi ...

, Unitarians in

, even Muscovite sympathizers with Judaism. The publications of the Academy till 1639, and of those of the teachers of the Academy in exile after 1640, are known to have influenced many English Unitarians such as

Bartholomew Legatt Bartholomew Legate (c. 157518 March 1612) was an English anti-Trinitarian martyr. Legate was born in Essex and became a dealer in cloth. This also cites: * T. Fuller, ''Church History of Britain'' (1655) *S. R. Gardiner, ''History of England'', ...

(1575?-1612),

Edward Wightman Edward Wightman (1566 – 11 April 1612) was an English Radical Reformation, radical Anabaptist Minister (Christianity), minister, executed at Lichfield on charges of heresy. He was the last person to be Execution by burning, burned at the stake ...

(1566-1612) and

Gilbert Clerke Gilbert Clerke (1626–c.1697) was an English mathematician, natural philosopher and Socinian theological writer. Life Born at Uppingham, Rutland, in 1626, he was a son of John Clerke, master of the school there. In 1641 he was admitted to Si ...

(1626–c.1697) as well as

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a " natural philosopher"), widely recognised as one of the g ...

(1643–1727), and

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his '' nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...

(1694–1778),Voltaire, François Marie Arouet de. ''Letter VII-On the Socinians, or Arians, or Antitrinitarians.''

References

Arianism Unitarianism Education in Poland Protestantism in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1602 establishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth