View source for Gerdes, Daniel (1698-1765)

Daniel Gerdes was born 19 April 1698 at [[Bremen (Freie Hansestadt Bremen, Germany)|Bremen]], [[Germany|Germany]] and died 11 February 1765 at Groningen in the [[Netherlands|Netherlands]]. He served from 1736 until his death as professor of theology at the University of Groningen and editor of a number of theological writings. For Mennonite history he is of interest because of his disputes with Joannes Stinstra, the Mennonite minister of Harlingen, who had in 1740 published a <em>Deductie </em>in behalf of the freedom of Mennonites to preach without being authorized by the government. Gerdes in his <em>Elenchus veritatum </em>(Groningen, 1740) stated that freedom of conscience should be granted but not freedom of preaching, since teaching of false dogma means licentiousness. In his <em>Twee Godgeleerde </em><em>Verhandelingen </em>(Groningen, 1741) Gerdes deals with [[Socinianism|Socinianism]] and states that Socinians cannot be considered Christians. In his <em>De Vrijheid des Geloofs </em>(Groningen, n.d.-1741), he directly attacks Stinstra, accusing him of anti-Christian teachings. Especially in the last-named book Gerdes proves himself an intolerant and implacable Calvinist.
= Bibliography =
Sepp, Christiaan. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Johannes Stinstra en zijn tijd: eene bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der kerk en school in de 18de eeuw. </em>Amsterdam : Sepp &amp; zoon, 1865-1866: I &amp; II, <em class="gameo_bibliography">passim</em>

Visscher, H. and L. A. van Langeraad.<em class="gameo_bibliography"> Biographisch Woordenboek von Protestantsche Godgeleerden in Nederland. </em>Utrecht, 1903-: III, 216-222.
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