CALIXTUS, GEORG (properly, CaRisen), an eminent theologian of the Lutheran church, was born 14th Dec., 1586, at lledelbye iu Schleswig; studied at Flensborg and Helm stedt; and, in 1605, became professor of philosophy in the latter of these cities. Two years after, he betook himself to theology, and attracted great attention by the breadth and originality of his views. After traveling for some time in Germany, Holland, Eng land, and France, where he made the acquaintance of the most learned men of his time, he returned to Helmstedt in 1613, and was appointed professor of theology. His genius, the depth of his knowledge, and his large experience of the world and of men, which he had acquired in his travels, developed in him a spirit of great tolerance towards all who held their religious opinions honestly, whatever these might be. Although his dissertations on the Holy Scripture, transubstantiation, communion in one kind, etc., are acknowledged by learned Catholics to be about the most solid and admirable which have been composed by Protestants against the distinctive doctrines of Catholicism, he was, on account of some statements in his work, entitled De Pracipuis Religionis Chris tiana: Capitibus (Helmstedt, 1613), which seemed favorable to Catholic dogmas, and of others in his Epitome Theologia Horalis (Helmstedt. 1634), De Tolerantia Reformatorum, etc. (Helmstedt, 1658), which approached too near to the Reformed or Calvinistic stand
point, declared guilty of abominable heresy by the adherents of the letter of the Coneor dienformel—i.e., the orthodox and dogmatically rigid Lutherans. C. felt keenly that the polemical harshness of Lutheranism was a serious obstacle in the way of a great Catholic Christianity, and that Protestantism must assume another form before it could hope to become the religion of Europe. Under this conviction, B. endeavored to show that the oldest and most fundamental articles of the Christian faith—viz., the facts embodied in the "Apostles' Creed "—were common to all Christian sects. In subsequent dissertations, having stated that the doctrine of the Trinity was less distinctly taught in the Old than in the New Testament, and that good works were necessary to salvation; and finally, at the religious conference of Thorn, in 1649, whither he was sent as a mediator by the elector of Brandenburg, having been on more intimate terms with the Calvinistic than the Lutheran theologians, C. was accused of apostasy. Fortunately, however, he had powerful friends, who stood firmly by him, and through their help he was enabled to retain his professorial chair till his death, on 19th Mar., 1656.