CASSANDER or CASSANT, GEORGE (1513-1566), Flemish theologian, born at Bruges, studied at Louvain, and taught theology and literature at Bruges. He studied the differences be tween the Catholic and Protestant bodies with a view to facilitat ing reunion, and in 1561 published anonymously De 0 fficiis pii ac publicae tranquillitatis vere amantis viri in hoc dissidio religionis (Basle), in which, while holding that no one, on account of abuses, has a right utterly to subvert the Church, he disapproves of ex aggerated papal claims. He appeals to Scripture explained by tra dition and the fathers of the first six centuries. Such a book pleased neither party; but the German emperor Ferdinand asked him to publish his Consultatio de Articulis Fidei inter Catholicos et Protestantes Controversis (1565), in which, like Newman at a later date, he tried to put a Catholic interpretation upon Protestant formularies. While never attacking dogma, he criticizes the papal power and makes reflections on practices. The work, attacked both by the Louvain theologians and by Calvin and Beza was put on the Index in 1617. He died at Cologne on Feb. 3, 1566. His works were published at Paris in 1616.