Thursday, August 28, 2025

It is the 28th of August 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Using the term “confessionalization” is not only an irritant to my word processor- I’ve been fighting it since the early 2000s. And it’s not a term that lights up search engines or gets clicks.

But “confessionalization” is a key to the crucial story of what becomes of the Reformation. The model, to some extent, since Constantine had been “Christendom,” but in the wake of the divisions caused by the Reformation, there were now competing confessions within the Christian world.

And part of the model of “Christendom” had been the idea that for a state to exist, it needed a uniform Christian confession. A first step in this movement of “confessionalization” was the development of the theory of "Cuius regio, eius religio”- his the region, his the religion. The prince or magistrate would decide.

This would ultimately converge in the deadly 30 Years' War between 1618 and 1648- what began as a war over confessions became a war of politics and territory. But tucked away, in Eastern Europe, was an event- often overlooked, which began on this day in 1645: a novel attempt at resolving religious strife began in the town of Thorn.

Thorun had a history dealing with religious dissent- back in the 1500s, there was a colloquy held to uphold the earlier Confederation of Warsaw- a call for religious tolerance in Poland in the wake of religious violence in France and the calling of a French king to the Polish throne.

This Colloquy, beginning in 1645 as the 30 Years' War raged, was called by another king, this one of Swedish descent, Vladislav IV of the house of Vasa, who was promising his people a return to Poland’s glory days.  Vladislav was Catholic but wanted unity amongst his people (and with a claim to the crowns of Poland, Sweden, and Russia that might make sense). And this would begin with a colloquy- called the Colloquium Charitatinum- of “Colloquy of Love,” the King invited Roman Catholic theologians, Reformed and Moravian theologians, and Lutheran theologians to make a public confession of their own theology and then discuss resolutions for union.

Unfortunately, and maybe, obviously, from our vantage point, there were no lasting agreements made. In fact, historians have debated how useful this colloquy was, with a constant refrain in history books about this event, which was spent in “fruitless and often childish disputes”.

It was messy- the Moravians and the Reformed banded together, but the Lutherans would not join in, and then the Lutherans had dissent within their own ranks. The Lutheran George Calixtus sought a middle way but was abandoned by other Lutherans, shocked at how much Calixtus was willing to give up for unity. It’s also worth noting that a radical Polish group- Arians, anti-trinitarians, were NOT invited. There seemed to be an appetite to resolve some issues, but not to go beyond the early church councils. It was Calixtus’ idea that we could find some kind of unity in the early church.

It would see a number of objections and walk-outs- the Catholics were upset that the Reformed and Moravian called their confession “catholic,” and the Lutherans were shut out altogether by the Catholics for their own infighting and desire to present an older confession rather than try to craft something for the occasion.

One constant refrain is that the groups came together only to be reminded of how much they were separated. And that is certainly a peril with ecumenical dialogue. But I found another take on the events from a later Polish Catholic notable for his activities in reaching out to others- he was Karol Józef Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II. Commenting on the attempts of 72 theologians from different backgrounds to find unity amidst a religious war, he wrote:

“Due to the blatant dogmatic differences, as well as social conditions, the intended agreement was not reached. According to historians, Toruń's Colloquium Charitativum was, after all, an attempt to achieve unity through the confrontation of views. Although it did not bring the expected results, it nevertheless aroused respect for the spiritual and political leaders of the Republic of Poland, giving rise to practical ecumenism”

This “practical” ecumenism is the next historical step after “confessionalization,” and it just so happens, tomorrow's character is ready to pick up the baton and run with this… so stay tuned. Today we remember the events at Thorun in Poland- the Colloquium Charitativum that began on this day in 1645.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and a benediction from 1 Peter:

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil

    and their lips from deceitful speech.

They must turn from evil and do good;

    they must seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 28th of August 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man from the Midwest who surely recognizes the power of the Polish pierogi… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who celebrates dumplings in all their forms… gyoza, tortellini, Mandu… I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.