Cornelius Loos (theologian)

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Cornelius Loos (* 1546 in Gouda in the Netherlands; † February 3, 1595 in Brussels in Belgium) was a priest, Catholic theologian, professor of theology and witch theorist .

Life

Humanistically he called himself Looseus, Callidius or Chrysopolitanus after his Dutch hometown of Gouda (City of Gold). Loos came from a patrician family and studied philosophy and theology at the University of Leuven . In 1574 Loos and his family had to leave his home for political reasons. After being ordained a priest , he obtained a doctorate in theology in Mainz . He became a theology professor and a rigorous fighter against the Protestant faith.

Loos published nine books from 1580: a prayer book, polemical theological works, political works relating to the Dutch uprising , an overview of Catholic German writers and a small Latin language textbook.

Witch theorists

From 1585 he worked in Trier and experienced numerous witch trials. In 1592 Loos wrote the treatise “De vera et falsa magia” against the Trier auxiliary bishop Peter Binsfeld . The manuscript was confiscated and believed to be lost. It was not found again until 1886 in the old Jesuit library in Trier and has been preserved in the Trier city library.

Loos knew Johann Weyer's writing and turned against the prevailing opinions of sorcery and magic. For him, the belief in witches represented a tool of evil. He vehemently opposed the use of torture and denied the truthfulness of statements.

The papal nuncio Frangipani had him imprisoned in the Trier Abbey of St. Maximin.

On March 25, 1593 Loos revoked his views, was expelled and ended up in Brussels, where he administered a parish for a short time. He fought the persecution of witches, was imprisoned again, but died before the start of the witch trial, in which he was threatened with the stake.

Appreciation

Cornelius Loos was one of the most important opponents of the trials on the Catholic side. He was the first Catholic theologian to publicly oppose the persecution of witches. He rejected the process of witch trials and denied that demons can affect people, animals and things. He turned against belief in diabolical magic and dismissed belief in witches as delusion, nonsense and silliness.

Works

  • De Tvmvltvosa Belgarvm rebellione sedanda: Ad Christiani Orbis Principes, & cunctos Publicæ ac Christianæ tranquillitatis amantes, Brevis Consvltatio . Luxembourg 1579.
  • Duellum fidei et rationis: si in eucharistiae sacramento, verè sit corpus Christi? Cornelio Loos auctore. Editum adversus sex paradoxa, quibus de bestialissima idololatria, Christianos Catholicos falsò insimulat, & calumniosè traducit Christianus Francken, apostata. [...] Mainz 1581.

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Loos, Cornelius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Losaeus Callidius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Priest, Catholic theologian, professor of theology and witch theorist
DATE OF BIRTH 1546
PLACE OF BIRTH Gouda cheese
DATE OF DEATH February 3, 1595
Place of death Brussels