Calixtus, Georgius

Calixtus, Georgius

(jôr`jēəs kəlĭk`stəs), 1586–1656, German Protestant theologian, whose original name was Georg Callisen. He extended the influence of MelanchthonMelanchthon, Philip
, 1497–1560, German scholar and humanist. He was second only to Martin Luther as a figure in the Lutheran Reformation. His original name was Schwarzerd [Ger.,=black earth; "melanchthon" is the Greek rendering of "black earth"].
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, and sought a basis, such as the Apostles' Creed, for uniting Christian churches. Because he tended to minimize the differences in doctrine and to emphasize the importance of Christian living, he was charged by some of the Lutherans with favoring Roman Catholic dogmas and by others with pro-Calvinism. He failed to win the Lutherans to his support at the Conference of Thorn (1645).