Andreas Essenius (February 1618–18 May 1677) was a Dutch

Reformed theologian Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

, controversialist and academic. He became professor of theology at the

University of Utrecht Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of 39,769 students, a ...

Life

He was born Andreas van Essen in

Zaltbommel Zaltbommel (), also known, historically and colloquially, as Bommel, is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. History The city of Zaltbommel The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as "Bomela" in the year 850. Zaltbommel received ...

where he studied Latin and Greek. He went on to the

Latin school The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Other terms used include Lateinschule in Germany, or later Gymnasium. Latin schools were also established in Colon ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

and then to the

where he was a student of Bernardus Schotanus and

Gisbertus Voetius Gisbertus Voetius ( Latinized version of the Dutch name Gijsbert Voet ; 3 March 1589 – 1 November 1676) was a Dutch Calvinist theologian, pastor, and professor. Life He was born at Heusden, in the Dutch Republic, studied at Leiden, and in 16 ...

. In 1640 he received his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

, and was appointed as a minister in the little town of Neerlangbroek. On 19 February 1645 he became

doctor of theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...

and started to write his first work (1649), against

Socinianism Socinianism ( ) is a Nontrinitarian Christian belief system developed and co-founded during the Protestant Reformation by the Italian Renaissance humanists and theologians Lelio Sozzini and Fausto Sozzini, uncle and nephew, respectively. ...

. In 1651 he was appointed as minister in Utrecht and on 8 February 1653 he accepted appointment as professor of theology, with an oration ''De tractatione verbi Divini''. In the academic year 1673-4 Essenius was ''

rector magnificus A rector (Latin for 'ruler') is a senior official in an educational institution, and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world, the rector is often the most senior official in a u ...

'' of the University of Utrecht. He was one of the Utrecht Circle, a Dutch second Reformation grouping around

Anna Maria van Schurman Anna Maria van Schurman (November 5, 1607 – May 4, 1678) was a Dutch people, Dutch painter, engraver, poet, classical scholar, philosopher, and Feminism, feminist writer who is best known for her exceptional learning and her defence of fem ...

, in the period when she was a close follower of Voetius. It included also the physician Johan Godschalk, Justus van den Bogaart, Theodore à Brakel, Cornelius Gentman, Johannes Hoornbeeck, Jodocus van Lodenstein, Johannes Teellinck, and Abraham van de Velde.Carl J. Schroeder, ''In Quest of Pentecost: Jodocus van Lodenstein and the Dutch second Reformation'' (2001), pp. 54–5
Google Books
/ref> Wilhelmus à Brakel and Philipp van Limborch were amongst the students of Essenius. Essenius died in Utrecht, still in post as professor, in 1677.

Family

On 3 January 1640 he married Lucia Spruyt in the Jacobikerk in Utrecht. They had seven children.

Notes

External links

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Profile at Universiteit Utrecht
{{DEFAULTSORT:Essenius, Andreas 1618 births 1677 deaths 17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians Dutch Calvinist and Reformed theologians Dutch members of the Dutch Reformed Church People from Zaltbommel Utrecht University alumni Academic staff of Utrecht University