Collegiants
Encyclopedia
In Christian theology
, the Collegiants , also called Collegians, were an eclectic religious sect
, formed in 1619 among the Arminians
and Anabaptist
s in Holland. They were so called because of their college
s (meetings) held the first Sunday of each month, at which everyone had the same liberty of expounding the scripture, praying
, etc.
The practice first originated in 1619 when, after the Synod of Dort
forced the States of Holland
to dismiss clerics for encouraging refuge to individuals being persecuted for religious beliefs, three brothers of Warmond
by the name of van der Kodde (or Codde)—Gijsbert, Jan Jacobsz, and Adriaen—decided to hold religious services of their own. The sect began as a refuge from the perceived bitterness of the Calvinist
and Arminian controversies of the day. Their name is derived from the custom which they had of calling their communities "Colleges", which they were followed by Spener
and the Pietists
of Germany
.
The Collegiants' first place of meeting was at the village of Warmond, at the residence of one of the brothers, but they shortly established their headquarters at Rijnsburg
, a village 2.5 miles (4.0 km) northwest from Leiden, and were hence called the Rijnsburgers (Dutch: Rijnsburger Collegianten).
There were also large communities of Collegiants in other places, for instance in Amsterdam
and Hoorn
. In Amsterdam, the Collegiants ran an orphanage, 'De Oranje Appel', where the Dutch writer, Aagje Deken
, was raised. In Rijnsburg
The Collegiants had a guest-quarter in the present-day alleyway of Kwakelsteeg called the Grote Huis (Large House).
Their principle from the beginning had been to admit all individuals to their society who were willing to acknowledge their belief in the Bible
as inspired scripture, and to take it as a guide for Christian life; but no confession of faith was used, and the widest diversity of opinion was permitted. Their form of worship consisted of prayer meetings held on Sundays and Wednesdays, at which any men of the community might pray and expound the scripture, but there was no regular organization of a ministry
among them. They recognized the necessity of baptism
, which they administered by immersion, and twice a year they had a sacramental meeting extending over several days, similar to those of the Scottish Presbyterians
.
Benedict Spinoza joined the study groups of the Collegiants while living near Leiden from 1660 to 1663. It was during this period that he began working on his major book, The Ethics. At the end of the 17th century, the opinions of Spinoza had obtained a strong hold upon the Collegiants, and caused a temporary division of their members into two parties, with separate places of meeting. The leader of the Spinozist party was John Bredenburg, a merchant of Rotterdam
, and he was opposed by a bookseller from Amsterdam, named Francis Couper, who attained some eminence by a work which he wrote against Bredenburg under the title Arcana Atheismi detecta ("The Secrets of Atheism Revealed"); he was also the publisher of the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum
seu Unitariorum. The two parties were reunited on the death of these two controversialists, and attracted many to their society from other sects during the 18th century. Even in the late 19th century, they still formed a considerable body in Holland and in the state of Hanover
. Their influence can still been seen in modern Rijnsburg
, where the street Collegiantenstraat (Collegian Street) is named after them.
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
, the Collegiants , also called Collegians, were an eclectic religious sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
, formed in 1619 among the Arminians
Arminianism
Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
and Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
s in Holland. They were so called because of their college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s (meetings) held the first Sunday of each month, at which everyone had the same liberty of expounding the scripture, praying
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
, etc.
The practice first originated in 1619 when, after the Synod of Dort
Synod of Dort
The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618-1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy initiated by the rise of Arminianism. The first meeting was on November 13, 1618, and the final meeting, the 154th, was on May 9, 1619...
forced the States of Holland
States of Holland
The States of Holland and West Frisia were the representation of the two Estates to the court of the Count of Holland...
to dismiss clerics for encouraging refuge to individuals being persecuted for religious beliefs, three brothers of Warmond
Warmond
Warmond is a village and former municipality in the western Netherlands, north of Leiden in the province of South Holland. The municipality covered an area of 14.42 km² of which 4.42 km² is water, and had a population of 4,977 in 2004. Together with Sassenheim and Voorhout, it became...
by the name of van der Kodde (or Codde)—Gijsbert, Jan Jacobsz, and Adriaen—decided to hold religious services of their own. The sect began as a refuge from the perceived bitterness of the Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
and Arminian controversies of the day. Their name is derived from the custom which they had of calling their communities "Colleges", which they were followed by Spener
Philipp Jakob Spener
Philipp Jakob Spener was a German Christian theologian known as the "Father of Pietism."...
and the Pietists
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The Collegiants' first place of meeting was at the village of Warmond, at the residence of one of the brothers, but they shortly established their headquarters at Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg is a community in the eastern part of the city Katwijk, in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The name means Rhines Burg in Dutch.-History:...
, a village 2.5 miles (4.0 km) northwest from Leiden, and were hence called the Rijnsburgers (Dutch: Rijnsburger Collegianten).
There were also large communities of Collegiants in other places, for instance in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Hoorn
Hoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
. In Amsterdam, the Collegiants ran an orphanage, 'De Oranje Appel', where the Dutch writer, Aagje Deken
Aagje Deken
Aagje Deken was a Dutch writer.Agatha Deken was born in 1741. In 1745 her parents died and she went to live in the 'De Oranje Appel' orphanage in Amsterdam, where she remained until 1767. After leaving the orphanage she served in several families and later started a business in coffee and tea...
, was raised. In Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg is a community in the eastern part of the city Katwijk, in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The name means Rhines Burg in Dutch.-History:...
The Collegiants had a guest-quarter in the present-day alleyway of Kwakelsteeg called the Grote Huis (Large House).
Their principle from the beginning had been to admit all individuals to their society who were willing to acknowledge their belief in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
as inspired scripture, and to take it as a guide for Christian life; but no confession of faith was used, and the widest diversity of opinion was permitted. Their form of worship consisted of prayer meetings held on Sundays and Wednesdays, at which any men of the community might pray and expound the scripture, but there was no regular organization of a ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
among them. They recognized the necessity of baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, which they administered by immersion, and twice a year they had a sacramental meeting extending over several days, similar to those of the Scottish Presbyterians
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
.
Benedict Spinoza joined the study groups of the Collegiants while living near Leiden from 1660 to 1663. It was during this period that he began working on his major book, The Ethics. At the end of the 17th century, the opinions of Spinoza had obtained a strong hold upon the Collegiants, and caused a temporary division of their members into two parties, with separate places of meeting. The leader of the Spinozist party was John Bredenburg, a merchant of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, and he was opposed by a bookseller from Amsterdam, named Francis Couper, who attained some eminence by a work which he wrote against Bredenburg under the title Arcana Atheismi detecta ("The Secrets of Atheism Revealed"); he was also the publisher of the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum
Polish Brethren
The Polish Brethren were members of the Minor Reformed Church of Poland, a Nontrinitarian Protestant church that existed in Poland from 1565 to 1658...
seu Unitariorum. The two parties were reunited on the death of these two controversialists, and attracted many to their society from other sects during the 18th century. Even in the late 19th century, they still formed a considerable body in Holland and in the state of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
. Their influence can still been seen in modern Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg is a community in the eastern part of the city Katwijk, in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The name means Rhines Burg in Dutch.-History:...
, where the street Collegiantenstraat (Collegian Street) is named after them.
Further reading
- Fix, Andrew C. Prophecy and reason: the Dutch Collegiants in the early Enlightenment. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-03141-X. 1991.
- Fix, Andrew C. "Angels, Devils, and Evil Spirits in Seventeenth-Century Thought: Balthasar Bekker and the Collegiants". Journal of the History of Ideas, Vol. 50, No. 4 (Oct. - Dec., 1989) , pp. 527–547. Slee, J.V.C. De Rijnsburger Collegianten. Geschiedkundig onderzoek. Erven F. Bohn, Haarlem, 1895.
- Preus, J.S. " The Bible and Religion in the Century of Genius Part I: Religion on the Margins: Conversos and collegiants". Religion, Volume 28, Number 1, January 1998, pp. 3–14(12).
- Lee, Rosa Ethel. The influence of Mennonites, Collegiants and Quakers on the life and writings of Spinoza... 1917. OCLC 27318435.
- Kolakowski, Leszek. "Dutch seventeenth-century non-denominationalism and Religio Rationalis: mennonites, collegiants and the Spinoza connection." The two eyes of Spinoza & other essays on philosophers. Translated by Agnieszka Koakowska and others; edited by Zbigniew Janowski. South Bend, Ind.: St. Augustine's Press. ISBN 1-58731-875-X. 2004.