THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
theistic consequences, according as separation or union is principally emphasized in the conception of a mesites between God and the world. The Logos-idea as found in the Johannine writings is well adapted to guard against the Christology which sees in Jesus merely a prophet or a genius; it requires the recognition of his identity of being with God, without which the absoluteness of his historic mission can not be conceived. But it does not go into the metaphysical profundities from which it might be hoped to gain an insight into the inner recesses of the divine nature. It lights up history with the light of eternity; but it can show us eternity onh* in the light of history, not in its own supernatural radiance. (O. Kirn.)
Bibliography: On Jewish and ethnic doctrines of the Logos consult: A. Aall, Der Logos; Geschichte seiner Entwickelung, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1896-99; J. M. Heinze, Die Lehre vom Logos in der griechischen Philosophie, Oldenburg, 1S72; Schurer, Geschichte, iii. 555-557, Eng. transl., II., iii. 374-376; works on O. T. theology, especially that of Schultz; and the literature under Philo.
On the Johannine doctrine: H. H. Wendt, Das Johannesevangelium, Gottingen, 1900; M. Stuart, in Bibliotheca Sacra, 1850, pp. 281-327; W. Emlicht, Theophania; or. Scriptural View of the Manifestation of the Logos or pre-existent Messiah, London, 1857; Rohricht, in TSK, 1S6S. pp. 299—315; J. Reville, La Doctrine du Logos dans le quatrieme evangile et dans les ceuvres de Philon, Paris, 1881; H. P. Liddon, Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, lecture v., London, 1885; H. W. Watkins, Modern Criticism Considered in its Relations to the Fourth Gospel, lecture viii., ib. 1890; A. Harnack, in ZKT, ii (1892), 189-231; idem, Dogma, vols, i.-iv (contains also the later development); G. B. Stevens, Johannine Theology, chap, iv., New York, 1894; W. Baldensperger, Der Prolog des 4- Evangeliums, Freiburg, 1898; Jannaris, in ZXTW, Feb., 1901, pp. 13 sqq.; W. R. Inge, Personal Idealism and Mysticism, lectures ii.— iii., New York, 1907; Lichtenberger, ESR, viii. 334-339; DB, iii. 132-136; EB, iii. 2811-2812; the commentaries on the Fourth Gospel, especially that of H. J. Holtzmann, Tubingen, 1893; the works on N. T. theology, particularly that of Beyschlag; and the works on the history of doctrine. The last-named class of works is also to be consulted for the later development of the doctrine, and further works of value are: L. Atzberger, Die Logoslehre des heiligen Athanasius, Munich, 1880; C. Bigg, Christian Platonists of Alexandria, London, 1886.
LOISTS, l5'ists: A pantheistic sect of the sixteenth century. The first mention of the sect of the Loists occurs in a letter of Luther's dated Mar. 27, 1525, in which he writes that some " new prophets " from Antwerp had appeared in Wittenberg, and that they put the mind and reason of man on terms of equality with the Holy Ghost. A disputation took place, in Luther's presence, between Melanchthon and the leader of this sect, a slater named Eligius (Loy) Pruystinck; and shortly afterward Luther directed a warning to his own adherents at Antwerp against dangerous " blustering and noisy spirits." Pruystinck was subjected to an examination by the Inquisition at Antwerp (Jan., 1526); he recanted, and was cleared with the sentence of public ecclesiastical penance. Nevertheless his doctrines in the following decades spread not only in Antwerp but also in the district about Cologne, in Brabant, and in Flanders. But an additional investigation ensued in the summer of 1544, ending in the execution of Pruystinck and of six of his followers, and completely disbanding their sect. The Loists' religious attitude may be defined as a corollary of practical pantheism. Man's
intellectual nature is a spiritual substance; in other words, every one possesses the Holy Ghost. Since man's flesh and spirit are thoroughly independent, and with no influence upon each other, the spirit of man incurs no responsibility for the weakness of the flesh; hence the spirit, as such, is sinless. The final goal of man is to vanish into the divine being. The Loists based their doctrines upon forced exegesis of the Bible. There appears to have been no relation between the Loists and any sects antedating the Reformation, and they seem to have been wholly independent of the Baptists. [They certainly had much in common with the Beghards (q.v.) and the Brethren of the Free Spirit (see Free Spirit, Brethren of the), a. h. n.] It is fair to suppose that the pantheistic doctrines of the " Libertines," which from 1545 onward were combated notably by Calvin, in the Romance countries took their point of departure from the sect of the Loists disbanded at that very time. [David Joris was probably a disciple of Pruystinck, and the latter may have influenced Henry Nicolas, founder of the Family of Love (see Familists; and Antinomians), and through him several of the more recent varieties of Antinomians. a. h. n.] Herman Hatjpt.
Bibliography: A valuable collection of sources and history of the sect is given in J. Frederichs, De secte der Loisten of Antwerpsche libertijnen (.1525-45), Ghent, 1891; idem, Un lutherien francais devenu libertin spirituel, in Bulletin historique et litteraire de la societe de Vhistoire du protestantisme francais, xli (1892), 250—269; idem, La Moralite des libertins spirituals, ib., pp. 502-504; A. Jundt, Hist, du pantheisme populaire au moyen age. pp. 122 sqq., Paris, 1875.
LOISY, lwa"zi', ALFRED FIRMAN: French Roman Catholic; b. at Ambrieres (6 m. n. of Mayenne) Feb. 28, 1857- He was educated at the Seminary of Chalons and was ordained to the priesthood in 1879, after which he was parish priest of Broussy-le-Grand and Landricourt (1879-81); became lecturer in Hebrew at the Institut Catholique, Paris, in 1881; was appointed associate professor in 1882 and titular professor of Holy Scripture in 1889. The freedom of his views, however, caused such distrust of his orthodoxy that in 1893 he was removed and appointed chaplain of the Dominican nuns at Neuilly-sur-Seine. In 1899 he retired to Belle vue, and in 1900-04 lectured at the Sorbonne on Assyriology, but in the latter year was again obliged by his superiors to cease lecturing. He then lived in retirement at Garnay, department of Eureet-Loire. Became professor of the history of religions, College of France, Paris, 1909. His works attracted considerable attention, and five were placed, in 1903, on the Index, although Loisy claims to seek to refute the radicalism of A. Harnack (q.v.) and to defend the orthodox faith of the Church. He has written: Histoire du canon de VAncien Testament (Paris, 1890); Histoire du canon du Nouvcau Testament (1891); Le Livre de Job, traduit del'hcbreu (1892); Histoire critique du texte ct des versions de la Bible (2 vols., Amiens, 1892-93); Les Mythes babyloniens et les premiers chapitres de la Gencse (Paris, 1901); Etudes bibliques (1901); La Religion d' Israel (1901); fitudes evangiliques (1902); L' Evangile et Vfgli.se (1902; Eng. transl. by C Home, The Gospel and the Church, London, 1903) ;