The Truth of the Christian Religion (De veritate religionis Christianae)
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text · 2 illegible passages, excluded from answers
- Extent:
- ~140,000 words · 688 passages
Cite this work
- APAHugo Grotius. (n.d.). The Truth of the Christian Religion (De veritate religionis Christianae). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/hugo-grotius/the-truth-of-the-christian-religion-de-veritate-religionis-christianae
- MLAHugo Grotius. "The Truth of the Christian Religion (De veritate religionis Christianae)." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/hugo-grotius/the-truth-of-the-christian-religion-de-veritate-religionis-christianae.
- ChicagoHugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion (De veritate religionis Christianae). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/hugo-grotius/the-truth-of-the-christian-religion-de-veritate-religionis-christianae.
What it is about
The defence of Christianity that Grotius wrote in prison, first in Dutch verse for the sailors of his country, and afterwards recast in Latin.
Context and history
The Latin title is 'De veritate religionis Christianae', of 1627. The original intention was practical: to give Dutch sailors arguments for talking with Muslims and with pagans in the places where they traded. Hence the tone, which is not scholastic but clean and orderly, and the method, which starts not from the authority of the Church but from what an interlocutor who does not acknowledge it might grant. It was the most translated work of apologetics in Europe for two centuries — there are Arabic, Persian and Chinese versions — precisely because it was designed for those who did not share the premise. Grotius is better known for 'De iure belli ac pacis', and the two works share the same habit of mind.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
UPON the Reprinting this excellent Piece of that great Man Hugo Grotmsy concerning the Truth of the Chriftian Religion ; whereunto I thought fit to add fomething of my own, and alfo fome Teftimonies, from which the good Opinion he had of A 2 the tKe Church of England^ is evident ; there was no other Perfon, moft Reverend Prelate, to whom I thought it fo proper for mc to Dedicate this Edition, with the Additions, as the Priinate and Metropoh'tan of the u^hole Church o{ E?7glancL I therefore prefentit to you 5 as worthy your Protection upon its own Account, and as an Infiance of my Refpedl and Duty towards you. I will not attempt here, either to praife or defend Grotius ; liis own Virtue and diftinguifhing Merits in, the Commonwealth of Chriftians, do fLifficiently commend and juftify him amongft all good and learned Men. Neither will I fay any thing of the Appendix which I have added ;' it is fo fhort, that it may be read over almoft in an Hour's time. If it be beneath Grotius^ nothing that I can fay about it will vindicate me to the Cenforious ; but if it be thought not beneath him, 1 need not give any Reafons OT £A DEDICA