Cassander, George
Cassander, George
Flemish Humanist and theologian, b. 15 August, 1513 at Pitthem in West Flanders; d. 3 February, 1566, at Cologne. He studied at Louvain, where he was graduated in 1533. In 1541 he was appointed professor of belles-lettres at Bruges, but resigned two years later, partly from a natural desire to travel for instruction, and partly in consequence of the opposition aroused by his pro-Reformation views. On his journeys, which were undertaken in the company, and at the expense of his friend, Cornelius Wouters, he visited Rome, and in 1544 came to Cologne, where he settled permanently in the summer of 1549. He soon abandoned the classics for the study of the Bible and ecclesiastical questions, and had already published several classical, Biblical, and patristic treatises, when in 1556 he commenced a series of liturgical works. His “Hymni Ecclesiastici” (1556) were followed in 1558 by the “Liturgica de ritu et ordine Dominicæ coenæ celebrandæ”. Both publications were placed on the Index. As a completion of the “Liturgica”, his “Ordo Romanus” appeared (1558); and in 1560 the “Preces Ecclesiasticæ” were published. Cassander’s activity in promoting religious peace between Catholics and Protestants began with the publication of his anonymous book: “De officio pii viri in hoc religionis dissidio” (1561). This work, written at the request of the jurist, Francis Baldwin, and submitted by him to the Colloquy of Poissy (Sept., 1561), gave offence to both sides. Calvin wrote a violent answer, in which he unjustly berated Francis Baldwin as the author of the publication. On the Catholic side, William Lindanus, afterwards Bishop of Roermonde, remonstrated with Cassander by letter, and would have attacked him publicly had it not been for the intervention of a secretary of the King of Spain.
At the request of William, Duke of Cleves, Cassander wrote in 1563 a treatise against the Anabaptists: “De Baptismo Infantium”. It was supplemented in 1565 by “De Baptismo Infantium: Pars Altera”. The treatise, “De sacrâ communione Christiani populi in utrâque panis et vini specie” (Cologne, 1564), a plea in favour of the reception of communion under both species by the laity, attracted the attention of the Emperor Ferdinand I, who was himself a partisan of the idea. The latter, wishing to use the author as the peacemaker between Catholics and Protestants, invited him to Vienna. Cassander, prevented by illness from acting upon the invitation, wrote his “Consultatio de articulis Religionis inter Catholicos et Protestants controversis”, which he addressed to Maximilian II (1564), as Ferdinand I had died before its completion. This work, however, failed to satisfy either side. It is most probable, though not universally admitted, that Cassander died in full submission to the Catholic Church. He certainly always wished to remain a faithful member of the Church; but it is equally certain that some of his opinions were Protestant to the core. He advocated, for example, the division of ecclesiastical doctrines into fundamental and non-fundamental articles, the supremacy of private judgement, and the human origin of the papal primacy. An incomplete collection of his works was issued at Paris in 1616, and placed on the Index the following year.
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DE SCHREVEL, Hist. Du semin. De Bruges (Bruges, 1883-95), I, 263-65, 387-609; FRITZEN, De Cassandri ejusque sociorum studiis irenicis (Muenster, 1865); PASTOR in Kirchenlex., s.v.
N.A. WEBER Transcribed by Dawn Felton Francis
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IIICopyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Cassander, George
one of the most miable and enlightened divines of the Roman Church, was born about 1515, in the island of Cadsand, at the mouth of the Scheldt. He was for a time professor of theology, first at Bruges, then at Ghent; after which he went to Cologne, where he devoted himself to the study of the controversy between the Roman Catholics and Reformers, hoping to allay the dissensions of the time. The duke of Cleves called him to Duisburg, to bring back the Anabaptists, if possible, to the Church; and this led to his preparing his book on infant baptism. His first publication was De officio pii veri in hoc dissidio religionis (Basle, 1561, 8vo). He shared the common fate of those who endeavor to unite parties warmly opposed to each other, and his book was disliked by both Protestants and Romanists. The emperor Ferdinand induced him to write his Consultatio de articulis fidei inter papistas et protestantes controversis (1564), in which he endeavored to reconcile the various articles of the Confession of Augsburg with the faith of the Roman Church. He was willing to grant the cup to the laity, and, in extreme cases, the marriage of priests. Cassander died Feb. 8, 1566. His works were collected by Decordes, Opera quae reperiri potuerunt omnia (Paris; 1616, fol.). This collection contains, among other things, a commentary on the two natures of Jesus Christ; various treatises against the Anabaptists, with testimonies from the fathers, and the doctrine of the early Church on the subject of the baptism of infants; Liturgica; ecclesiastical hymns, with notes; one hundred and seven letters, etc. Some of these treatises were condemned by the Council of Trent. Landon, Eccl. Dictionary, s.v.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Ginerale, 9:27; Gieseler, Church History, vol. 4, 30, 51; Hook, Ecclesiastes Biography, 3:502 sq.