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Johannes Valentinus Andreae Passes Away

Today in Masonic History Johannes Valentinus Andreae passes away in 1654.

Johannes Valentinus Andreae was a German theologian.

Andreae was born on August 17th, 1586 in Herrenberg, Württemberg, Germany. At the age of 15, his father passed away and his mother moved with him to Tübingen. There his mother became the court apothecary. From 1604 to 1606 Andreae studied theology and natural sciences. It is claimed by Andrea, that during this time he wrote "The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosekreutz." Chymical was the word at the time meaning chemical and Andreae claimed in his later life that it was actually lampoon of the idea of alchemy. It is also claimed that the book was one of the books that helped inspire Rosicrucian legend, although this is controversial. The books Fama fraternitatis and the Confessio fraternitatis were written just a few years later and Andreae denied being the author of either book. The two latter books were the inspiration for Rosicrucianism as founded by Christian Rosekreutz.

In 1606, Andreae was refused final examination to enter church service. Instead he became a tutor and traveled around Europe with his students. He even traveled to Dillingen, a bastion of the Jesuits who Andreae considered to be the Antichrists.

In 1612, Andreae returned to this theological studies. He also began promoting education. He was committed to found the Societas Christiana, a Utopian society that created a learned brotherhood of those dedicated to the spiritual life. He had hoped they would spawn the second reformation.

Andreae passed away on June 27th, 1654.

It is believed that Andreae was a Freemason, although no hard proof exists. One item that people will point to is the fact that in his book "The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosekreutz" the events take place 150 years earlier and the final chapter occurs during Easter of 1459. It was on that day that the Constitutions of the Freemasons of Strasburg was first signed.