ALSTED, JOHANN HEINRICH. - German Protestant theologian, b. in 1588 at Ballersbach (Nassau), d. at Weissenburg in 1638. In 1616 he became professor of philosophy, then of theology, first in 1619 at the University
of Herborn and subsequently, in 1629, at that of Weissenburg in Siebenbürgen. He took part in the Synod of Dordrecht (1618-19) as representative of the diocese of Nassau.
A highly prolific writer on a wide variety of subjects, he composed above all theological works, the principal ones being: the Lexicon Theologicum (Hanau 1612); the Theologia Naturalis (Frankfurt 1615); the Theologia Catechetica (Hanau 1616); the Theologia casuum conscientiae (ibid. 1616); the Theologia Didactica (ibid. 1618); the Theologia Polemica (ibid. 1620); the Theologia Prophetica (ibid. 1622); the Tractatus de mille annis apocalypticus (ibid. 1626), in which he maintained that the reign of Christ on earth would begin in 1694. All his works were placed on the Index by decree of 10 May 1757.