Ruard Tapper (15 February 1487 – 2 March 1559) was a Dutch theologian of the
Catholic Reformation
The Counter-Reformation (), also called the Catholic Reformation () or the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation. It began with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) a ...
, a chancellor of
Leuven University, and an
inquisitor
An inquisitor was an official (usually with judicial or investigative functions) in an inquisition – an organization or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Literall ...
.
Life
Tapper was born at
Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.
History
Enkhuizen, like Hoorn and Amsterdam, was one of the harbor-towns of the VOC, from where overseas trade w ...
,
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a State of the Holy Roman Empire and from 1433 part of the Burgundian Netherlands, from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands and from 1581 onward the leading province of the Dutch Republic, of which it remained a par ...
, on 15 February 1487. He matriculated at Leuven University on 11 June 1503, and graduated M.A. in 1507, placing second highest in his year.
[ Henri De Vocht, "Tapper (Ruard)", '']Biographie Nationale de Belgique
The ''Biographie nationale de Belgique'' (French; "National Biography of Belgium") is a biographical dictionary of Belgium. It was published by the Royal Academy of Belgium in 44 volumes between 1866 and 1986. A continuation series, entitled the ' ...
''
vol. 24
(Brussels, 1929), 555-577. While studying Theology he taught physics and logic, and in 1511 sat on the university council on behalf of the Faculty of Arts. In 1517 he served as
dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
of the Faculty of Arts. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1515, and graduated
Licentiate of Sacred Theology on 3 June 1516 and
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, abbreviated STD), also sometimes known as Professor of Sacred Theology (, abbreviated STP), is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Roman Catholic C ...
on 16 August 1519.
[ On 7 November 1519 he was involved in the Faculty of Theology's condemnation of a number of propositions drawn from the writings of Martin Luther.][
On 21 November 1519 Tapper succeeded ]Martinus Dorpius Martinus Dorpius or Maarten van Dorp (1485–1525) was a humanist and a theologian at the Old University of Leuven. He is best known as a friend and correspondent of Erasmus.
Life
Dorpius was born in Naaldwijk near Rotterdam in 1485. His father, Be ...
as president of Holy Spirit College in Leuven, serving in that capacity until October 1533.[ The extensive renovations he had carried out on the college led to him being regarded as its second founder.][ From June 1523 to September 1525 he was involved in several heresy trials as a theological adviser to Inquisitor Franciscus Van der Hulst, including those of ]Jan van Essen and Hendrik Vos
Jan van Essen and Hendrik Vos or Voes, were the first two Lutherans executed by the Council of Brabant for their adherence to Reformation doctrine. They were burned at the stake in Brussels on 1 July 1523.
Background
Essen and Vos were August ...
, Wilhelm Gnapheus
Wilhelm (sometimes ''William, Willem, Guilielmus'') Gnapheus (''de Volder, van de Voldesgraft, Fulonius''; 1493 in The Hague – 29 September 1568 in Norden, Lower Saxony) was a Dutch-born Protestant religious figure and writer.
After studyin ...
and Cornelis Hoen, and Jan de Bakker. According to Gnapheus, Tapper made every possible effort to save Bakker but was unable to sway him from his opinions.[
After Godescalc Rosemont's death in 1526, Tapper succeeded him as professor of theology and as a canon of St. Peter's Church, Leuven.][ In 1535 he succeeded Nicolas Coppin as ]dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
of St. Peter's and chancellor of the university.
On 6 July 1537, Pope Paul III appointed Tapper and Michael Drieux jointly as Inquisitors General of the Low Countries. Tapper was singled out for criticism as a merciless persecutor in Protestant texts, with one early history of the Reformation attributing to him the view that "It is no great matter whether those that die on this account be guilty or innocent, provided we terrify the people by these examples". In fact, Tapper was often more lenient than the letter of the law required, imposing public penances where the decrees of Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infa ...
called for the death penalty, and insisting that spiritual ills required spiritual remedies.[ In 1544, the emperor asked the pope to intervene to instruct Tapper and Drieux to apply the imperial proclamations in full force, and insist that those who had been guilty of spreading or defending heretical opinions be relinquished to secular tribunals for punishment. Only after that did he issue letters patent recognising their appointment.][ In 1553, at the request of ]Mary of Hungary
Mary, also known as Maria of Anjou (, , ; 137117 May 1395), reigned as Queen of Hungary and Croatia (officially 'king') between 1382 and 1385, and from 1386 until her death. She was the daughter of Louis the Great, King of Hungary and Poland ...
, Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, born Gian Pietro Carafa, C.R. ( la, Paulus IV; it, Paolo IV; 28 June 1476 – 18 August 1559) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 May 1555 to his death in August 1559. While serving as pa ...
authorised Tapper and Drieux to delegate their powers.[
Tapper drew up a list of 32 articles of faith that were included in the matriculation oath of Leuven University, and by an imperial decree of 24 October 1545 became the touchstone of orthodoxy under the law.][ Pope Pius IV gave his approbation to this confession of faith in 1561. Notes from Tapper's lectures explaining the doctrinal basis of the first 24 of these articles were published in Lyon in 1554 under the title ''Declaratio Articulorum'', in response to which Tapper himself brought out a volume entitled ''Explicationis Articulorum'' in 1555, dedicated to ]Philip II Philip II may refer to:
* Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC)
* Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor
* Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374)
* Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404)
* Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497)
* Philip ...
, who had just married Mary I of England. The second volume included a letter of commendation from Philip dated Canterbury, 1 September 1556, in response to the first volume. The two volumes together covered only 20 of the 32 articles. The third volume was left uncompleted at the author's death.[
Tapper opposed the development of Baianism at Leuven University, but when pressed to do so refused to initiate heresy proceedings against ]Michael Baius
Michael Baius (151316 September 1589) was a Belgian theologian. He formulated the school of thought now known as Baianism.
Life
He was born at Meslin L'Eveque near Ath in Hainaut as Michel De Bay, the son of Jean de Bay, a farmer. De Bay studied ...
or Jean Hessels
Jan Hessels, Jean Leonardi Hasselius or Jean Hessels (Hasselt, 1522 – 1566) was a Flemish theologian and controversialist at the University of Louvain. He was a defender of Baianism.
Life
Hessels was born at Mechlin in 1522, and obtained his doc ...
.[ Together with three other members of the university, Tapper took part in the second session of the ]Council of Trent
The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...
, being present from September 1551 to April 1552.[ He returned to Leuven in September 1552, his journey delayed by the military and political situation in Germany. Even after his death, he continued to exercise an influence on the deliberations of the council's third session through his ''Explicationis Articulorum''.][
His collected works, edited for posthumous publication by the bishop of Roermond, ]William Damasus Lindanus
William Damasus Lindanus or Van der Lindt (1525 – 2 November 1588) was a 16th-century Bishop of Roermond and Bishop of Ghent.
Biography
William Damasus Lindanus was born at Dordrecht in 1525, the son of Damasus van der Lint. He studied philosoph ...
, included a memorial to the emperor entitled ''Aureum Corrolarium'' arguing that the main cause of heresy was a failure of discipline and clear teaching within the Church, and a ''Refutatio quorumdam falsorum remediorum'' arguing that physical and capital punishment by secular authorities was not the most effective way to combat heretical opinions.[ Among his recommendations was the erection of new bishoprics in the Low Countries, a policy that came to fruition in the year that he died.][
He died in Brussels on 2 March 1559 and was buried in St. Peter's church, Leuven.][
]
Works
* ''Methodus confessionis'' (Antwerp, Joannes Laet, 1553)
* ''Explicationis articulorum'' (2 vols., Leuven, 1555–1557)
* ''Opera omnia'' (2 vols., Cologne, Birckmann office, 1582)Opera omnia
on Google Books (both volumes together).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tapper, Ruard
1487 births
1559 deaths
16th-century Dutch Roman Catholic theologians
People from Enkhuizen
Old University of Leuven alumni
Academic staff of the Old University of Leuven
Roman Catholic priests of the Habsburg Netherlands
Inquisitors