Andreas Essenius (February 1618–18 May 1677) was a Dutch

Reformed theologian 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 Calv ...

, controversialist and academic. He became professor of theology at the

University of Utrecht Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...

Portret van Andreas Essenius, RP-P-OB-46

Life

He was born Andreas van Essen in

Zaltbommel Zaltbommel (), also known, historically and colloquially, as Bommel, is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. History The city of Zaltbommel The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as "Bomela" in the year 850. Zaltbommel received ...

where he studied Latin and Greek. He went on to the

Latin school The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Emphasis was placed, as the name indicates, on learning to use Latin. The education given at Latin schools gave gre ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...

and then to the

where he was a student of Bernardus Schotanus and

Gisbertus Voetius Gisbertus Voetius ( Latinized version of the Dutch name Gijsbert Voet ; 3 March 1589 – 1 November 1676) was a Dutch Calvinist theologian. Life He was born at Heusden, in the Dutch Republic, studied at Leiden, and in 1611 became Protestant past ...

. In 1640 he received his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

, and was appointed as a minister in the little town of Neerlangbroek. On 19 February 1645 he became

doctor of theology Doctor of Theology ( la, Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equiva ...

and started to write his first work (1649), against

Socinianism Socinianism () is a nontrinitarian belief system deemed heretical by the Catholic Church and other Christian traditions. Named after the Italian theologians Lelio Sozzini (Latin: Laelius Socinus) and Fausto Sozzini (Latin: Faustus Socinus), uncle ...

. In 1651 he was appointed as minister in Utrecht and on 8 February 1653 he accepted appointment as professor of theology, with an oration ''De tractatione verbi Divini''. In the academic year 1673-4 Essenius was ''

rector magnificus A rector (Latin for 'ruler') is a senior official in an educational institution, and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world the rector is often the most senior official in a un ...

'' of the University of Utrecht. He was one of the Utrecht Circle, a Dutch second Reformation grouping around

Anna Maria van Schurman Anna Maria van Schurman (November 5, 1607 – May 4, 1678) was a Dutch painter, engraver, poet, and scholar, who is best known for her exceptional learning and her defence of female education. She was a highly educated woman, who excelled in ...

, in the period when she was a close follower of Voetius. It included also the physician Johan Godschalk, Justus van den Bogaart, Theodore à Brakel, Cornelius Gentman,

Johannes Hoornbeeck Johannes Hoornbeek (4 November 1617, Haarlem – 23 August 1666, Leiden), was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He was a student and a follower of Gisbertus Voetius, writing with him on spiritual desertion. Like his teacher Voetieus, he was also later ...

, Jodocus van Lodenstein, Johannes Teellinck, and Abraham van de Velde.Carl J. Schroeder, ''In Quest of Pentecost: Jodocus van Lodenstein and the Dutch second Reformation'' (2001), pp. 54–5
Google Books
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Wilhelmus à Brakel Wilhelmus à Brakel (2 January 1635 – 30 October 1711), also known as "Father Brakel", was a contemporary of Gisbertus Voetius and Hermann Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation (known in Dutch as ''De Nadere Ref ...

and

Philipp van Limborch Philipp van Limborch (19 June 1633 – 30 April 1712) was a Dutch Remonstrant theologian. Biography Limborch was born on 19 June 1633 in Amsterdam, where his father was a lawyer. He received his education at Utrecht, at Leiden, in his native city ...

were amongst the students of Essenius. Essenius died in Utrecht, still in post as professor, in 1677.

Family

On 3 January 1640 he married Lucia Spruyt in the

Jacobikerk The Jacobikerk is a landmark Protestant church in Utrecht, Netherlands. The building is located on the St Jacobsstraat, named for its patron saint St. James the Greater. The church is one of the medieval parish churches of Utrecht, along with the ...

in Utrecht. They had seven children.

Notes

External links

*
Profile at Universiteit Utrecht
{{DEFAULTSORT:Essenius, Andreas 1618 births 1677 deaths 17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians Dutch Calvinist and Reformed theologians Dutch members of the Dutch Reformed Church People from Zaltbommel Utrecht University alumni Academic staff of Utrecht University