LEIPSIC, COLLOQUY OF. The disputes in the 16th c. between the Lutherans and Calvinists having become very acrimonious, and attempts at reconciliation by seve ral persons having been unsuccessful, the authorities and the people were convinced that greater efforts should be made to secure, if not unity, at least peace and harmony between the two churches. A conference was proposed by the theologians of Hesse and Brandenburg to those of Leipsie. The elector George of Saxony having sanctioned the plan of a private conference, the meetings commeuced Mar. 3, 1631, at the residence of the upper court preacher, and, under his presidency, were held daily until Mar. 23. The confession of Augsburg was adopted as a basis, and every article examined sepa rately. They agreed on the articles V. to VII. and XII. to XXVIII., but differed as to III., the Lutherans maintaining that not only the divine but the human nature of Christ possessed omniscience, omnipotence, etc., by virtue of the union of the two natures in his person, and that the glory which Christ received was only by his human nature; the reformers, on the contrary, denying that Christ, as man, was omniscient and omnipres ent. On the tenth article they could not agree, the reformers denying the physical par
ticipation in the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist, and asserting a spiritual participation by faith. The reformers desired, if they could not agree on this point, that the two parties should be charitable to each other, and unite in opposition to Roman ism. The Lutherans said the proposition must be further considered in the fear of the Lord. On the article concerning election, the reformers based election on the will of God, and reprobation on the unbelief of man ; while the Lutherans regarded election as the result of God's prescience of the faith of the elect. No decided and permanent bene fit resulted from the colloquy. •