Piotr of Goniądz

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
antitrinitatrian
work "On the subject of the Three"

Piotr of Goniądz (Polish: Piotr z Goniądza, pronounced [ˈpʲɔtr zɡɔˈɲɔndza]; Latin: Gonesius; c. 1525–1573) was a Polish political and religious writer, thinker and one of the spiritual leaders of the Polish Brethren.

Life

Little is known of his early life. He was born to a

Wilno Paweł Holszański, Piotr was sent to Italy, where he graduated from the University of Padua. There he received a doctorate in philosophy and became one of the professors. However, following his lecture of the anonymous work by Miguel Serveto and similar works by an Italian professor Matteo Gribaldi, Piotr of Goniądz converted to Protestantism
and returned to Poland.

One of the pioneers of

Podlaskie and the lands of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Probably in 1558 he found a benefactor and patron in person of Jan Kiszka, one of the most powerful magnates of his time. Invited to Węgrów, Piotr became the head of the local Protestant commune and one of the most notable leaders of the Calvinist
community in Poland.

The radical political, ethical and religious beliefs of Piotr of Goniądz gained him much popularity among the Protestant clergy and lesser gentry, though also created many conflicts, especially with the magnates. Piotr supported egalitarianism, pacifism and disregard for mundane life. The members of his community, often regarded as a sect within the Calvinist church, were forbidden to hold any public office, serve in the army or even carry arms. Piotr also strongly opposed serfdom, which led to constant conflicts even with his patron.

Schism between Ecclesia Major and Ecclesia Minor

In 1565 the schism within the Polish Calvinist church became a fact and Gonesius became a leader along with

Ecclesia Minor, while the majority of Polish Protestants, the Ecclesia Major, remained faithful to the much less radical beliefs of John Calvin
.

He died in Węgrów on 15 October 1573, during an outbreak of plague.

Works

The most notable of his works, the De filio Dei homine Christo Iesu (translated as On the Son of God, though literal translation would be On the Son of God, a Human Jesus Christ), did not survive to our times.

Other of his notable works were published in 1570 in Kiszka's printing house in Węgrów. Among them was Doktrina pura et clara de praecepuis Christianae religionis articulus, which survived in a single copy currently held in

Bibliothèque Nationale
in Paris.

O ponurzaniu chrystiańskim (On Christian Baptism).

O trzech (On Trinity).

See also

  • List of Poles

References

  1. ^ Ogonowski, Zbigniew (2022). "Antitrinitarianism in Poland before Socinus. A Historical Outline". Roczniki Filozoficzne. 70 (4): 88.