Schelwig, Samuel

Schelwig, Samuel a Lutheran theologian of Germany, was born March 8, 1643. He studied at Wittenberg, was in 1673 professor of philosophy at Dantzic, in 1675 professor of theology, in 1685 doctor of theology. In 1693 Schelwig inaugurated a controversy with his colleague Constantine Schutze, whom he accused of having spoken in the pulpit in favor of pietism (q.v.) and Spener. The outcome of this controversy was a number of controversial writings published by both parties. In 1694 the town council interfered. But Schelwig would not stop. He now wrote against Spener, who replied. In 1701 Schelwig was joined by Chr. F. Bucher in his polemics against Spener, and he died January 18, 1715. See Praetorins, Athenae Gedanenses (Leipsic, 1713), where a complete list of Schelwig's writings is given; Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v.; Walch, Religions streitugkeiten der evangel-lutherischen Kirche, 1:602 sq., 739 sq.; 4:159.; Schmid, Geschichte des Pietismus, page 225 sq., 343; Schnaase, Geschichte der evangelischen Kirche Danzig's (Dantzic, 1863); Plitt- Herzog, Real-Encyclop. s.v. (B.P.)