Ubi est unitas? : The Latin Letters from Johannes Annorelius, a Swedish Catholic Convert, to his Brother. A Critical Edition with an Introduction

Abstract: This book presents a critical edition of the Latin letters in ms. G3 (Uppsala University Library) from Johannes Annorelius to his brother. Johannes Annorelius left Sweden as a young student in the beginning of the 18th century and settled down in Flanders, where he converted to the Catholic faith and became a Capuchin friar. In the Capuchin friary Annorelius wrote several extensive letters in French and Latin to his brother Julius in Sweden. The letters state the reasons for his conversion and are intended to convince his Lutheran brother and the rest of their family to become Catholics as well. Hence, the letters become epistolary specimens of controversial theology with arguments mostly from the Bible and the Church Fathers in a style highly influenced by the controversialists of the Counter-reformation. We find a Neo-Latin text presenting a scholastic argumentation in a spirit representative of the time. In a unique way the present letter collection reflects the great European confessional warfare in the mirror of two brothers from the village of Tierp in Sweden. The major part of the book (267 pp.) consists of the edition of the letters. An introduction supplies with information about Johannes Annorelius, about his style and influences, and about his language. At the end of the book follow indices of persons and countries, doctrinal matters, and groups of persons, who in Annorelius? opinion are to be considered heretics.