29 Facts About Justus Velsius

Justus Velsius came into conflict with civil and ecclesiastical authorities all over Europe, and spent his final years as a preacher and faith healer in his native Holland.

When Justus Velsius got in trouble because he accepted the Interim and the resulting conflict with his Protestant colleagues, he moved to Cologne in the spring of 1550; he probably only gave up his Strasbourg canonicate in 1553.

Since Justus Velsius was married, he could not obtain a university prebend, but was instead remunerated by the council.

Justus Velsius's compensation was increased in 1551 and 1552, and he was charged with teaching mathematics as well.

Justus Velsius attended the meetings of the Anabaptists in the Bookbinder's Guildhall at the Pfaffengasse, where he met Anabaptist martyr Thomas von Imbroich.

Justus Velsius asked his influential friend Viglius to support him, but Viglius declined to get involved.

Greatly offended by this refusal, Justus Velsius apparently accused his friend of Protestant leanings, and severed all connections with his former friend.

Justus Velsius proposed to defend the free will against the Calvinist doctrine of predestination.

The debate with Calvin, Johannes a Lasco and Horne lasted two days; Justus Velsius' argument boiled down to this: aut esse liberum arbitrium, aut Deum tyrannum esse.

Justus Velsius attacked the pastor of the Heiliggeistkirche, Johann Flinner, on his position on the Eucharist, sent him a series of theses on new birth and free will, and accused the pastor of being a false apostle and misleader of the prince and people.

Justus Velsius asked the council for permission to have a book printed he had written die Summa christlicher Lehre und Lebens.

Justus Velsius wrote to Flinner and the preachers, and to the council as well, submitting 20 propositions, probably the same ones as he announced in Heidelberg and in Frankfurt.

Justus Velsius was luckier there, at least he could count on Sebastian Castellio, with whom he had corresponded before, and advocates of tolerance such as Cellarius and Celio Secondo Curione.

Cellarius proposed a number of theses for an academic disputation, but Justus Velsius declined after the council had refused a public debate.

Justus Velsius wrote to the council, and Bullinger responded on behalf of the council, pointing out that his criticism didn't apply since it was directed at Luther and at the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1563, Justus Velsius had crossed the Channel to England where he joined the Dutch Church in London.

Justus Velsius opposed him publicly developing at length his idea that the perfection of Adam could be reached on earth after inner rebirth had taken place in the individual.

Justus Velsius wrote a summary of his religion Christiani Hominis Norma, in which he explained his notion that through regeneration man could become God-in-man, like Christ.

Justus Velsius sent copies of this pamphlet to the Bishop of London Edmund Grindal, to Secretary of State William Cecil, and to Queen Elizabeth.

Justus Velsius wrote a letter to the French Ambassador denouncing the vengeance of God on all who refused to receive his propositions.

Bishop Grindal wrote a rebuttal, showing that Justus Velsius' teachings were against orthodox doctrine.

Justus Velsius was summoned before the ecclesiastical commission, consisting of Bishop Grindal, the Bishop of Winchester Robert Horne, and the Dean of St Paul's Alexander Nowell, who had a frank discussion with him, and charged him in the Queen's name to leave the kingdom.

The proposal was considered by the Stadtholder de Robles, who had a conversation with Justus Velsius, and referred it to the bishop, who charged the dean of the cathedral to look into it.

However, Justus Velsius refused to leave prison, because he only wanted to be released by God's grace, not by human intervention.

Justus Velsius published the Greek text of Proclus's De Motu, along with a Latin translation.

Justus Velsius is interesting because his life reflects so well the unsettled intellectual conditions of 16th-century Europe.

Also, Justus Velsius cannot be identified as Anabaptist, and is distinct from Spiritualism.

Justus Velsius thought of himself as a messenger of God, sent to warn people for eternal damnation, and claimed to be able to confirm his teachings by miracles.

Justus Velsius' teachings appear to be related to those of the Family of Love.