CALOVIUS, ABRAHAM, a Lutheran divine of the 17th century, was born at Norungen in East Prussia, 1612 A.D. In 1626 he went to the University of Konigsberg, and studied four years. In 1634 he went to Rostock ; in 1637 he became extraordinary professor at Konigsberg ; in 1643 he removed to the Gymnasium at Dantzig. At the Thorn Conference, 1645, he came in contact with Calixtus, and appeared against syncretism. In 165o he received a call to Wittenberg, where he stood in high favour with the Elector, George II. Here he lived, laboured, and wrote till his death in 1686. Many students were attracted to the place by his fame as a theologian ; and had it not been for his colleague John Meisner, he would have ruled undisputed master in the University. When he had attained the age of 7o he married his sixth wife, four months after the death of the fifth, at a time when he was so weak as to be able to walk little more than five steps. He had followed
to the grave thirteen children, besides the five wives.
Calovius was a violent polemic, a malleus hareti corzem in his day. Lutheran orthodoxy was the object of his conservative efforts. But his spirit and temper were opposite to the teachings of Christ. The best known of his works is his Biblia illustrata, in four parts or vols. folio, aimed against Grotius. In this commentary all portions of the Bible, without exception, are equally attributed to the Holy Ghost as their author. The work is per vaded by learning and ability ; but its tone is ex cessively dogmatical. We see Calovius as a doctrinal theologian most clearly in his Systenza locos-um theologicorunz, 1655-1677, 12 vols.; and his Apodixis articulorum fidei, i6S4 ; Theologies naturalis et ervelata, 1646.—S. D.