The ''Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant'' or ''Library of the Polish Brethren called Unitarians'' 1665, 1668, 1692 (not 1656 as incorrectly listed in some catalogs) is a collection of writings of the Polish Brethren published by Frans Kuyper, Daniel Bakkamude, and Benedykt's father Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. (d.1678) in Amsterdam, with Pieter van der Meersche in Leiden. Many of these works had earlier been printed by Rodecki and Sternacki at the printery of the

Racovian Academy The Racovian Academy (') was a Socinian school operated from 1602 to 1638 by the Polish Brethren in Raków, Kielce County, Raków, Sandomierz Voivodeship of Lesser Poland. The communitarian Arianism, Arian settlement of Raków was founded in 1569 b ...

1602-1638.

Volumes

Volumes 1-8 1665,1668, 1692Philip Knijff, Sibbe Jan Visser, Piet Visser ''Bibliographia Sociniana: a bibliographical reference tool for the study of Dutch Socinianism and Antitrinitarianism.'' *Vols I-II

Fausto Sozzini Fausto Paolo Sozzini (; ; 5 December 1539 – 4 March 1604), often known in English by his Latinized name Faustus Socinus ( ), was an Italian Renaissance humanist and theologian, and, alongside his uncle Lelio Sozzini, founder of the Nontrinit ...

, ''Fausti Socini opera omnia'' include ''Tractatus de justificatione'' etc. (published 1668, after the 1665 publication of Vols III-VI) *Vols III-V: Johann Crell, ''Joannis Crellii opera omnia'' include some works by Szlichtyng, based on lectures of Crellius. (1665, 4 tomes in 3 vols) *Vol VI Jonasz Szlichtyng, ''Jonæ Slichtingii... commentaria posthuma, in plerosque Novi Testamenti libros... hactenus inedita,'' include ''de magistratu, bello, et privata defensione, ... didactica, et polemica'' etc. (1665, 2 tomes in one volume) *Vols VII-VIII: Johann Ludwig von Wolzogen, ''Johannis Ludovici Wolzogenii... opera omnia, exegetica, didactica, et polemica,'' etc. (1668) *Vol IX. Samuel Przypkowski, ''Cogitationes sacrae ad initium Evangelii Matthaei et omnes Epistolas apostolicas.'' 1692 (edited by John Locke's correspondent Philippus van Limborch (1633-1712) the Dutch Remonstrant theologian). This final volume was prepared for publication by Benedykt Wiszowaty (the great-grandson of Faustus Socinius), who added eight brief essays on the history of Polish Socinianism.

Circulation

The Eton College library had a collection of the original Racovian books printed by Sternacki about 1630, possibly donated by John Hales, but these had disappeared by 1674.

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...

possessed a full set of Vols I-VIII and was personally involved in commissioning Vol IX.

Pierre Bayle Pierre Bayle (; 18 November 1647 – 28 December 1706) was a French philosopher, author, and lexicographer. He is best known for his '' Historical and Critical Dictionary'', whose publication began in 1697. Many of the more controversial ideas ...

appears to have had access to a full set.

Related publications

Outside the series of the ''Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum'', various other Racovian and Socinian texts were printed or reprinted in Amsterdam by the same group of exiles, printers and booksellers. The

Racovian Catechism The Racovian Catechism ('' Pol.'': Katechizm Rakowski) is a nontrinitarian statement of faith from the 16th century. The title ''Racovian'' comes from the publishers, the Polish Brethren, who had founded a sizeable town in Raków, Kielce County, w ...

and Racovian New Testament which had been published in the

itself, were also reprinted in Amsterdam. Following completion of the above series Benedykt Wiszowaty was also involved in the other major, but much shorter, Socinian ''Bibliotheca'': the ''

Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum The ''Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum'', or ''Antitrinitarian Library'', first published in 1684, is a posthumously published work of Christopher Sandius (English: Christopher Sand), an exiled Prussian Antitrinitarian in Amsterdam, who chronologica ...

'', or ''Antitrinitarian Library'', first published in 1684. This is a posthumous work of

Christopher Sandius Christopher Sandius Jr. (Königsberg, October 12, 1644 – Amsterdam, November 30, 1680) was an Arian writer and publisher of Socinian works without himself being a Socinian. His name was Latinized as Christophorus Sandius, though his German name ...

an exiled Prussian

Arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...

in Amsterdam, in which he chronologically lists all the

and

Socinian 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. I ...

or Antitrinitarian authors from the Reformation to 1684, with a brief account of their lives, and a catalogue of their works. Rather than being a Library, as was Kuyper's publications, it is more a Bibliography. The Hungarian Unitarian community also published texts in Latin which circulated at the same period, particularly from 1696 after the establishment of a Unitarian printhing house in "Claudiopolis", namely Kolozsvár. Following the involvement of Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. and Benedykt Wiszowaty in the Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum, Benedykt's son Andrzej Wiszowaty Jr., great-great-grandson of Fausto Sozzini, taught in the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy 1726-1740, in the years leading to the drafting of the '' Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios'' (recognised by

Joseph II Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor F ...

in 1787).

Online edition

''Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum'' Online

References

{{reflist Book series introduced in the 1660s 1665 non-fiction books 1665 in the Dutch Republic 1668 non-fiction books 1668 in the Dutch Republic 1692 non-fiction books 1692 in the Dutch Republic 17th century in Amsterdam 17th-century Christian texts Nontrinitarianism Polish Unitarians John Locke