Irenicism in
Christian theology refers to attempts to unify Christian
apologetical systems by using
reason as an essential attribute. The word derives from the
Greek eirene meaning
peace. It is a concept related to
natural theology, and opposed to
polemicism or war-like argumentation, and rooted in the ideals of
pacifism. Those who affiliate themselves with irenicism identify the importance of unity in the Christian church, and declare the common bond between all Christians under
Christ.
Certain important irenic contributions from Erasmus helped to further the humanist consideration of themes of peace religious conciliation; these included the Inquisitio de fide (1524), arguing against the papal opinion that Martin Luther was a heretic, and De sarcienda ecclesiae concordia (1533). Erasmus had close associates sharing his views (Julius von Pflug, Christoph von Stadion, and Jakob Ziegler), and was followed on the Catholic side by George Cassander and Georg Witzel.[2][3][4] The influence of Erasmus was, however, limited, by the virtual exclusion of his works from countries such as France, from 1525, at least in the open; though they did appear in numerous forms and translations. James Hutton speaks of "the surreptitious manner in which Erasmus' peace propaganda reached the French public".[5]
Irenic movements were influential in the 17th century, and irenicism, for example in the form of Gottfried Leibniz's efforts to reunite Catholics and Protestants, is in some ways a forerunner to the more modern ecumenical movements. It was typical enough, however, for moderate and even irenical writers on the Catholic side to find in this period that their arguments were turned back against Catholicism.
This style of arguing developed in England from Thomas Bell and particularly Thomas Morton. It led to Thomas James mining Marcantonio de Dominis and Paolo Sarpi, and making efforts to claim Witzel for the Protestant tradition; to the arguments of Gallicanism being welcomed but also treated as particularly insidious; and an irenist such as Francis a Sancta Clara being attacked strongly by firm Calvinists. The handful of Protestant writers who were convinced in their irenic approach to Catholics included William Covell and Thomas Dove.[6]
