Texts & Studies: Polanus on the Lord’s Supper
Greystone Texts & Studies publishes a wide variety of theological, biblical, historical, ethical, and ecclesiastical texts and brief studies, including translations of never before translated works. This is a resource created exclusively for Greystone Members to encourage the confessional and catholic endeavor of reading well and widely within the Church throughout all time.
Greystone’s fourth Text & Studies release is Amandus Polanus’ Theological Theses on the Parts of the Lord’s Supper (De Coenae Domini Partibus Theses Theologica), published in 1596.
Greystone Fellow in Theology and History, Robert Letham, published “Amandus Polanus: A Neglected Theologian” in 1990.¹ Since that time, Polanus remains a neglected voice in theological ressourcement for the Church. But this tide is finally beginning to turn in scholarship.² Polanus was a significant theologian in early Reformed Orthodoxy and stands in a vital location, socially, theologically, and ecclesiastically—to bring much needed aid and comfort to the Church today. We believe that now is the time for Polanus’ voice to gain a wider audience. Why Polanus?
Polanus stands between the earliest periods of Reformed Orthodoxy and the events that brought about its most intense confessionalizations. As a key synthesizer of the tradition, he demonstrates for us the whole, the parts, and the possibilities. He was a Professor of Old Testament at Basel in 1596. His productive years (1590-1610) puts him on the scene to carry out the work of the previous generation (e.g. Beza, Zanchi) in the midst of the tumultuous events that eventually end with the Synod of Dort.
The value of his theological contributions for more recent modern controversies is, of course, readily apparent, but it is his comprehensive vision that we most want to capture for the Reformed churches today. Such theological knowledge, we trust and hope, while not pretending at a knowledge fully grasped now, becomes a virtue put to work for godliness and good works in our lives and communities. Narrowness and incomplete instruction bring opportunity for sin and worldliness, but our fathers in the faith were never narrow.
To this end, we plan to introduce the Greystone Membership to Polanus through a series of shorter works, beginning with Certain Chapters on Councils (De conciliis capita quaedam), published in 1592. Today, we continue that endeavor with the publication of Polanus’ Theological Theses on the Parts of the Lord’s Supper (De Coenae Domini Partibus Theses Theologica), published in 1596. Polanus’ De Coenae Domini Partibus Theses Theologica was a publication of 121 theses on the Lord’s Supper covering the elements of bread and wine, the presence of Christ, the benefits of the Supper, the proper observance of the Supper, and much more.
We hope to regularly release translations for our Greystone supporters. With your support, we also desire to release larger works for the Greystone community and beyond.
Notes:
Robert Letham, “Amandus Polanus: A Neglected Theologian?”, The Sixteenth Century Journal Vol. 21, No. 3 (Autumn, 1990), pp. 463-476.
Stephen Tipton, The Ground, Method, and Goal of Amandus Polanus, 1561-1610: Doctrine of God: A Historical and Contextual Analysis (Reformed Historical Theology, 73), V&R, 2022.