Johannes Crellius

Johannes Crellius, born on 26 July 1590, was a theologian of both Polish and German origin. His father, Johann Crell Sr., was a pastor in Hellmitzheim. Crellius moved to Poland at the age of 22 and became a prominent theologian within the Socinian movement, also referred to as the Polish Brethren. From 1613, he was associated with the Racovian Academy in Raków, serving as its rector from 1616 to 1621. In 1630, he worked with Joachim Stegmann Sr. on a German translation of the Racovian New Testament. Several of Crell's works were printed by the Racovian Academy's press and later included in Frans Kuyper's "Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum." His writings, particularly on theology and the freedom of religion, were influential and known to Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and John Locke. Two of his works were translated into English: "A Learned and Exceeding Well-Compiled Vindication of Liberty of Religion" and "The Two Books ... Touching on God the Father." Crellius died on 11 June 1633 in Raków.