CASSANDER, GEORG. - Flemish theologian, b. at Pitthem (Bruges), according to some on 15 Aug. 1513, and according to others in 1515 or 1518, and d. at Cologne on 3 Feb. 1566. Having obtained the title of magister artium in 1532 at Louvain, he began his teaching at Bruges in 1541. Although a layman, he devoted himself to the study of Holy Scripture and of theology, especially of controversy, with the intention of reconciling Protestants with Catholics. In the hope of winning the dissidents to the Catholic faith, he showed himself very indulgent toward their doctrines. Nevertheless, every attempt at reconciliation failed, and while he incurred the just condemnation of the Church, he also displeased the other Protestants.
His work De officio pii ac publicae tranquillitatis vere amantis viri in hoc religionis dissidio, published anonymously at Basel in 1561, was attacked by Calvin, to whom C. replied with the Defensio traditionum veteris Ecclesiae et SS. Patrum adversum Calvini eriminutiones (s. l. 1562), hiding behind the pseudonym of Veranus Modestus Pacimonianus. Certain Catholic princes made use of him to settle doctrinal religious disputes in their states. Especially noteworthy was the invitation that the emperor Ferdinand extended to him for this purpose to go to Vienna. Being unable to go there, C. sent the emperor a Consultatio de articulis religionis inter catholicos et protestantes, a work in which his indulgence toward the Protestants appears most clearly. Near death he retracted whatever he had said and written contrary to the Catholic faith and forbade that the Consultatio be given to the press. Nevertheless it was published at Cologne in 1577 by his friend Carmelo Wouters.
He wrote other works: De viris illustribus in sacris Bibliis usque ad regum historiam (Cologne 1550); Liturgia de vitu et ordine dominicae coenae celebrandae (ibid. 1556); Ordo romanus de officio Missae (ibid. 1558); De Baptismo infantium testimonia veterum; De Baptismo infantium doctrina catholica, de origine anabaptiticae sectae (ibid. 1563). The works of C., with the addition of 117 letters, were gathered into a collection published at Paris in 1616 (placed on the Index on 2 Dec. 1617).
Bibliography2 works
Egidio Caggiano