Valentin Radecke
Valentin Radecke – 17th Century Unitarian Teacher and Bishop

Summary/Abstract: Valentin Radecke (?–1632) was a teacher in the Unitarian College of Kolozsvár (Cluj) from 1605, and the bishop from 1615. He is the author of a number of works which have been brought into focus by recent research (Disciplina Ecclesiastica, Der kleine Katechismus, Geistliche Gesänge, Apologia). There is a recognized gap in our knowledge about his first decade in Kolozsvár. He was supposed to steer Transylvanian Unitarians away from Ferenc Dávid’s tradition (i.e. nonadorantism). However, his church policy signifi cantly contributed to the almost complete survival of a majority of Unitarian beliefs. This paper provides an overview of his career until his appointment as minister (1622), building on previously unknown letters and other papers discovered in the Archives of the Unitarian Church in Kolozsvár.

• Details
• Contents