Crypto-Calvinists (Philippists)

CRYPTO-CALVINISTS (PHILIPPISTS). - This is the name given to the followers of Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560). He, in fact, although so closely united with Luther, nevertheless did not agree with him in all his doctrines, and after the master's death, moved by the desire to reconcile Lutherans and Calvinists, he showed himself favorable to certain Calvinist doctrines. Against him and his followers, called C.-C. or P., the rigid or pure Lutherans rose up, led by Flacius Illyricus, by Amsdorf, etc., who gained strength at the University of Jena; the C.-C. had as their guide, besides Melanchthon, Major, Minius and others, and their center was the University of Wittenberg.

The controversy was fierce especially on the part of the rigid Lutherans, who defended Luther's boldest doctrines, such as the ubiquity of the body of Christ, consubstantiation, etc. The Formula Concordiae (v. CONFESSIONI DI FEDE) of 1576 brought some kind of truce, but the peace was again disturbed in Saxony during the government of the Elector Christian I (1586-91) and of his chancellor Nicholas Krell (1550?-1601), who re-established crypto-Calvinism there; however, the guardian of the young Elector Christian II (1591-1611) took care to uproot even its last remnants and to reintroduce extreme Lutheranism.

Camillo Crivelli