Fathers

A Candid Inquiry into the Controversies among Evangelicals · §155

§.XII close: Royal rescript — Frederick orders Strimesius to declare Walther S.T.D.; Fuchs to Viadrina faculty

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

The royal rescript runs thus: Frederick, by God's grace King of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg, Arch-Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Empire and Prince Elector, Duke of Magdeburg, Cleves, Julich, Berg, Stettin, Pomerania, and so on.

Reverend, most learned, beloved and faithful: Walther's uncommon learning, upright manners, and integrity of life — praised by you without ordinary compliments — were already clear to us, and we know his merits well enough that on that ground alone we would not leave him without the honors he seeks.

What moved us still more to grant his wish and your humble petitions is this rare case: a Lutheran theologian seeking a theological doctorate from Reformed doctors with as much confidence as they show readiness and mutual zeal in advancing his desire.

That can only please us, since every wholesome good for the commonwealth and the church may be hoped from it. We therefore not only consent but command you, Samuel Strimesius — dean of the theological faculty, ordinary doctor and professor, and primary pastor — to declare M. Christian Walther now Doctor of Sacred Theology in your faculty, and at the next public promotion to proclaim him such, and to admit him to all privileges and rights belonging to that highest title and to doctors of theology in the Holy Roman Empire — which may God favor. Farewell, secure of our royal grace. Given at Cologne on the Spree, 20 March 1702.

Frederick the King. Paul, Freiherr von Fuchs. To the Theological Faculty of the Viadrina University.

Latin

Rescriptum vero Regium ita sonat: FRIDERICUS, D. G. REX BORUSSIAE, Marchio Brandenburgensis, S. R. J. ArchiCamerarius & Princeps Elector, Magdeburgi, Cliviae, Juliae, Montium, Stetini, Pomeraniae &c. Dux &c. Reverendi, Doctissimi, Dilecti ac Fideles; Etsi jam antehac perspecta nobis sit M. Christiani Waltheri, Pastoris Sackheimensis Regiomonti Borussorum, haud vulgaribus elogiis à vobis commendati, singularis Eruditio, morum probitas juxta & vitae integritas, Nosque de meritis ejus affatim edoctissimi, adeò, ut vel ex hac sola ratione, illum exoptatis honoribus neutiquam destitutum censeamus; Magis tamen nos incitavit, ut votis ipsius, vestrisque humillimis annueremus precibus, rarissimum hactenus Theologi Lutherani exemplum, Docturam Theologicam à Reformatae fidei Doctoribus non minori fiducia expetentis, quàm horum in promovendis ejus desideriis est promptitudo & reciprocum studium. Non potest non Nobis hoc esse gratissimum, cùm salutaria quaevis ac prospera Rei, tàm Publicae, quàm Ecclesiasticae, inde ominari liceat. Consentimus itaque non solùm, verùm mandamus etiam Tibi, Samueli Strimesio, Facultatis Theologicae Decano, nec non Doctori & Professori Ordinario, ut & Pastori Ecclesiae Primario, ut praefatum M. Christianum Waltherum, nunc quidem in Facultate Vestra, S. S. Theologiae Doctorem declares, in proximo verò Promotionis publicae futuro Actu, talem publicè proclames & renuncies, omniumque Privilegiorum ac Jurium, summo huic Axiomati annexorum, ac Doctoribus Theologiae per S. R. J. competentium, participem reddas, quod Divinum Numen secundare dignetur. valete, de Gratia Nostra Regia securi. Dabantur Coloniae ad Svevum d. 20. Martii. Ao. 1702. FRIDERICUS REX. PAULUS, LIB. BARO de FUCHS. Ad Facultatem Theologicam Universitatis Viadrinae.

About this text

Samuel Strimesius — Prefatio through Controversiae Post Lutherum Controv. III-XIII + XV Tolerantia, Hexades Annotationum Prooemium and Annotatio I through Decem Theses / Francus plus Annotatio II §.I-§.VI and Annotatio III §.I–§.VII (through Cassellanum 1661) from Ingenua in Controversias Evangelicorum (Frankfurt an der Oder, 1708). Honest partial; Prefatio silence reasons, Annotatio III §.VIII+ fruits / §.IX+, Hexades theses body, deeper Controversiae / Part II remain.

English follows the locked 1708 Francofurti ad Viadrum Latin of Prefatio §I–II, Crimina defenses through III, Part I Protheoria through Controversiae Obices/Historia/Varii gradus, Formula Discord/Disparitas, Ulterius confirmatur / Classes / Formula protest / triplex differentia, Coena Domini Controversiae Priores through Precariae Hypotheses (Controv. print pp. 34–40), Controversiae Post Lutherum Natae Controv. III–XV tip (providence through De Tolerantia mutua; Controv. print pp. 40–78), Hexades Annotationum Prooemium H.I–§.III (Hexades print pp. 1–4 / PDF ~182–185), and Annotatio I De Augustana Confessione §.I–§.VIII tip (Hexades print pp. 5–24+ / PDF ~186–205+), reconstructed from Google Books PDF page images (ONB copy, id 3epYAAAAcAAJ) with pdftotext as check. No modern English was copied. Sister Halle digitization of Ingenua in Arminianismum (DOI 10.25673/65287) remains Anubis-blocked — skipped; Controversias only. Prefatio silence reasons, Annotatio I §.IX+, Hexades theses body beyond §.VIII, and remainder of Controversiae / folio remain.

Witnesses

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.