Daniel Tilenus (also Tilenius) (1563 – 1633) was a German-French Protestant theologian. Initially a Calvinist, he became a prominent and influential Arminian teaching at the Academy of Sedan. He was an open critic of the Synod of Dort of 1618-9.
Background
He was born in Silesia. Coming to France around 1590, he was naturalised by Henry IV.[1]Lord Herbert of Cherbury, who gave Tilenus his De Veritate, took his original name to be Tieleners.[2]
At Sedan Andrew Melville arrived in about 1612 from Scotland (via the Tower of London) and became a difficult colleague, sharing in the theology teaching.[5] In April 1620 Tilenus set up, at L'Isle, near Orléans, a debate with John Cameron, on the conclusions at Dort. Cameron published his version as Amica collatio de gratia et voluntatis humanae concursu in vocatione (1622).[6]
Later life
Later in 1620, Tilenus was finally forced out from Sedan by general hostility.[5] He was on friendly terms with Hugo Grotius; they shared a house in 1622/3 in the Rue de Condé, Paris.[7] He was also close to the philosopher Walter Donaldson.[8]
Tilenus went to England; there he published against presbyterianism. in Paraenesis ad Scotos Genevensis disciplinae zelotas.[5][9] He was pursued by a personal attack by James Sempill, a friend of Melville.[10]David Calderwood in his Altare Damascenum (1623) attacked Tilenus;[11]Gisbertus Voetius also attacked Tilenus, and was noted by Grotius.[12]
^ abcDictionary of National Biography, Melville or Melvill, Andrew (1545–1622), Scottish presbyterian leader and scholar, by Alexander Gordon. Published 1894.
