Johann Heinrich Bisterfeld

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Johann Heinrich Bisterfeld (* 1605 in Siegen ; † November 16, 1655 in Weißenburg in Transylvania , Ottoman Empire ) was a German Reformed theologian , philosopher , logician and polyhistor .

family

Johann Heinrich Bisterfeld was the second son of the Calvinist theologian, philosopher and educator Johannes Bisterfeld , and his wife Gertrud Schickhart, a daughter of Henrich Schickhartt , who was married to Arnold Wiederstein in their first marriage. Bisterfeld's uncles were Jacob Schickhart the Elder , Martin Schickhard the Elder and Philipp Christoph Schickhard .

Life

Bisterfeld studied Reformed theology: from 1619 at the High School Herborn (the “Academia Nassauensis”), with Johann Heinrich Alsted , from 1623 in Basel , from 1624 in Geneva , Oxford and 1626 in Leiden . In Leiden he lived with Professor André Rivet (1572–1651), through whom he made correspondence with the polymath Wilhelm Schickard . After completing his studies, he was probably a pastor in Grave in North Brabant, the Netherlands . There he had a vague prospect of a professorship at the University of Groningen , but did not want to wait and went to Herborn, where from the summer semester of 1629 he worked as a professor of philosophy at the high school without pay.

At the request of the Prince of Transylvania, Gábor Bethlen , he and Johann Heinrich Alsted went to the academy he had founded in Weissenburg in the summer of 1629, where each of them got a professorship. In 1629 Bisterfeld married Susanna Alsted there, a daughter of his older colleague. In Weißenburg, Bisterfeld worked as a professor of theology and philosophy until his death. In addition to his scientific activities, he also worked as a diplomat and advisor to the Prince of Transylvania Georg I. Rákóczi . He was also appointed to the Privy Council. His good friend from Leiden, André Rivet, was the driving force behind the appointment of him to the renowned Leiden University. Bisterfeld received two appointments from there: 1641 and 1650, and both times he rejected them.

After the death of his first wife, Bisterfeld married Anna Stenzel, a daughter of the Sibiu city ​​council Johann Stenzel. He also succeeded in making a significant fortune; in Sibiu he owned a large estate with a house, garden and farm.

Johann Heinrich Bisterfeld found his final resting place in the castle church of Weißenburg - next to Johann Heinrich Alsted and Philipp Ludwig Piscator .

Act

Johann Heinrich Bisterfeld was the author of numerous important works on theological and philosophical subjects. Through these publications, but also through a lively correspondence with outstanding scholars, he established contact between the scientific centers of Western Europe and remote Transylvania for several years. He used his extensive travel activities to Western and Central Europe on a diplomatic mission as a representative of his prince to consolidate the scientific connections that he had had since his studies in the Netherlands. For example, he was in contact with Johann Amos Comenius , John Dury and Samuel Hartlib .

As a theologian, Bisterfeld was initially a bitter opponent of English Puritanism , but later turned into a staunch supporter. His important work, the two-volume Bisterfeldius redivivus , was published posthumously in The Hague in 1661 . The theory of universal harmony and a world language contained therein had a lasting influence on Leibniz . Bisterfeld represented an encyclopedic universal science that was based on the mental combination of ideas and should behave analogously to such a combination of ideas in the divine creative intellect. Here he followed a tradition established by Raimundus Lullus , which his father-in-law Alsted had conveyed to him.

Bisterfeld also dealt with mathematics and physics, which strengthened his interest in Wilhelm Schickard. Bisterfeld's extensive scientific knowledge "gave him the dubious honor of being considered a magician by the people".

Fonts (selection)

  • Disputatio theologica de Deo, quam ipso adivvante, praeside… Johanne Deodato; Geneva (Geneva): Iohannis De La Planche 1625
  • Disputatio theologica de fide; Quam adjuvante Deo, praeside reverendo, clarissimo, doctissimoque viro, D. Iohanne Polyandro SS. Theologiae doctore, ejusdemque facultatis in inclyta Lugd. Batav. Acad. Professore primario, pt rectore magnifico, publico examini subjicit, Iohannes Henricus Bisterfeldius, Sigena-Nassovius Ad diem 5. Maji, horis locoque solitis; Lugduni Batavorum, Leiden: Elzevir 1627
  • Decas quaestionum nobiliorum politicarum de legibus politicis valve. Joh. Albert Ried, Heidelbergensis Palatinus; Herbornae Nassoviorum (Herborn) 1629
  • Decas Nobiliorum Quaestionum Philosophicarum Quam… Praeside Viro Dn. Johanne-Henrico Bisterfeldio, in… Nassoviorum Schola, quae est Herbornae, Philosophiae Professore ordinario… Exercitii gratia disputationis censurae submittit Daniel Buchius; Sigenensis Nassovicus, Herbornae Nassoviorum (Siegen and Herborn) 1629
  • Dodecas quaestionum illustrium politicarum de Concilio et Conciliario… proponit; Herbornae Nassoviorum (Herborn): Johannes Adamus Weisselius Hanoviensis 1629
  • Disputatio politica De consiliariis magistratus. Quam de trinuno clementer aspirante et favente sub praesidio, viri clarissimi et doctissimi, Dr. Johannis-Henrici Bisterfeldii, in illustri Athenaeo Herbornensi Philosophiae Professoris, Praeceptoris sui omnibus nominibus perpetim observandi Publice in Auditorio JCtorum ventilandam proponit, et pro ingenii capicitate defendere studebit Christophorus Deichmann, Marpurgensis Cattus; Herbornae Nassoviorum (Herborn) 1629
  • Dispvtatio Philosophica de concvrsv cavsae primae cum secundis, Quam Deo Benedicente In illustri schola Bethleniana, quae est Albae Iuliae, examinandam proponit Johannes-Henricus Bisterfeldivs philosophiae professor. Ad d. 8 & 15 Maji Respondentibus Stephano Keserüi, & Johanne Benyei, Hungaris; Alba-Iulia : Jacobus Effmurdt Suae Serenitatis Typographus 1630
  • Disputatio Theologica De Divina Scripturae Sacrae eminentia; Quam Spiritu Sancto Duce, Sub Praesidio Reverendi & Clarissimi Viri, Dni. Johannis Henrici Bisterfeldii, Theologiae ac Philosophiae in illustri Schola Albensi Professoris, Publice defendere conabitur Samuel Decanus Bohemus; Albae-Iuliae 1641
  • Disputatio Theologica De Domino Nostro Jesu Christo; Quam ipso Duce, Sub Praesidio Reverendi & Clarissimi Viri, Dni. Johannis Henrici Bisterfeldii, Theologiae ac Philosophiae in illustri Schola Albensi Professoris, Pro virili tuebitur Petrus Mylius Polonus; Alba Iulia 1641
  • Bisterfeldius redivivus: seu Operum Joh.Henrici Bisterfeldii, Hagae 1661

literature

Web links

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Horst Schmid-Schickhardt: The Siegener Schickhardt family ... , p. 30
  2. ↑ He already knew about him from his studies in Basel. Professor Johannes Buxtorf there presented Schickard's “Horologium Hebraeum”. - Horst Schmid-Schickhardt: The Siegener Schickhardt family ... , p. 30
  3. ↑ a b Horst Schmid-Schickhardt: The Siegener Schickhardt family ... , p. 31
  4. ↑ a b Thomas Leinkauf: Bisterfeld chapter in: 17th-century philosophy ... .
  5. ^ Konrad Fuchs:  Bisterfeld, Johann Heinrich. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 20, Bautz, Nordhausen 2002, ISBN 3-88309-091-3 , Sp. 215-216.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
  6. ↑ Maria Rosa Antognazza: Debilissimae Entitates? In: “The Leibniz Review”, Vol. 11, 2001
  7. ↑ Seivert, ADB
personal data
SURNAME Bisterfeld, Johann Heinrich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bisterfeldius, Johann Heinrich; Bisterfeldius, Johannes Henricus; Bisterfeld, János Henrik; Bisterfeld, Johannes-Henricus; Bisterfeldius, Johannes-Henricus; Bisterfeldius, Joannes Henricus; Bisterfeldius, Joannes Heinricus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Reformed theologian and philosopher, pedagogue, polyhistor
DATE OF BIRTH 1605
PLACE OF BIRTH Wins
DATE OF DEATH November 16, 1655
Place of death Weissenburg