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315 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Thayer Theism The " Magdeburg Centuries " declared Maurice an " idol " although he is the patron saint of the city, and Protestants generally have denied the credi bility of the story. Roman Catholics have been more inclined to accept it. It is found in the biography of the abbot Romanus, probably written shortly after his death in 460, and a monastery then existed on the alleged site of the martyrdom and formed the goal of pilgrimage. The legend is several times mentioned in the sixth century, and Gregory of Tours knows it in its original form and also mentions Thebans who suffered martyrdom on the lower Rhine. That it originated before the middle of the fifth century and that the Theban martyrs were honored thus early must be admitted. Against the authenticity of the legend it may be alleged that almost a century and a half intervened between its supposed occurrence and the oldest record of it, while contemporaries and earlier authors make no reference to it. The tradition also suffers from inherent improbability. No Theban legion is known to have existed at that time, and it is improbable that a general like Maximian, however great his hatred of the Christians, would have put to death an entire legion at a time when he needed his soldiers to keep the barbarians and rebels in check. The chief objection to the legend, however, is that it can not be brought into harmony with the history of the Diocletian persecution. The oldest accounts themselves are at variance as to the time and place. It was not until 296 or 297 that Chris tians began to be removed from the army, thus preparing the way for the general persecution. If, however, the date be laid after 296, the presence of Maximian in Valais is extremely improbable, for he was then most of the time in Africa and on the Lower Rhine. Moreover, Christian soldiers were given their choice between offering sacrifice or being discharged, and executions were rare. The view of Eucherius that the martyrdom took place during the Diocletian persecution lacks historical support, since it presupposes that Chris tian soldiers were put to death in large numbers. No such massacres occurred, however, in the West, where the persecutions ceased altogether with the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian on May 1, 305. (G. UHLHOFiNt.) BIBLIOGRAPHY: The principal forms of the Passio sancti Maurilii et sociorum, with commentary, are in ASB, Sept., vi. 308-349, 895-920, and partly in MPL, clxxi. 1625-30. A full list of editions and literature is in Potthast, Weg weiser, pp. 1472-73; and in A. Hirschmann's contribution to Historischea Jahrbuch der Gtirres-Geaellschaft, xiii (1892), 783-798. Consult further: J. A. Dubordieu, Historical Dissertation upon the Thebecan Legion, London, 1696 (ad verse; this book is usually cited in the Fr, translation, Amsterdam, 1705); J. de 1'Isle, Defense de la verity du martyre de la Zfgiou thEbeenne, autremenl de S. Maurice et de ses compagnons. Pour repondre h la dissertation du min iatre du Bourdieu. Nancy, 1741; P. de Rivaz, Pclaircisse ments sur le martyrs de la lEgion Lhebgenne, Paris, 1779; J. W. J. Braun, Zur Gesehichte der lheb8ischen Legion, Bonn 1855; E. F. Gelpke, Kirchengeschichte der Schweiz, i. 50 86, Bern, 1850; O. Hunziker, in M. Biidinger, Untersuch ungen zur rornischen Kaisergeschichte, ii. 117-284, and Excursus IL, 265-272, Leipsic, 1868; E. Aubert, Tresor de l'ab6age de Saint-Maurice d'Agaune, Paris, 1872; A. Allbgre, Le Culle de S. Maurice h Caromb, Avignon, 1881; S. Beissel, Geschichte der Trierer Kirchen, i. 19-31, Treves, 1887; Dueis, Saint Maurice et la legion thebeenne, Annecy, 1887; J. Bernard, S. Maurice et la 1_gion thi;6eenne, 2 vole.,
Paris, 1888; J. B. de Montm4lian, Saint Maurice et la Z6gion thebeenne, 2 Yola., Paris, 1888; P. Allard, Le Per· secution de Diocletien, i, 17-34, ii. 335-364, Paris, 1890; F. Stone, Das Martgriura der thebaischen. Legion, Breslau, 1891; R. Berg, Der heilige Mauritius and die thebaische Legion, Halle, 1895; DCB, iii. 04144 (valuable); Friedrich, KD, i. 101-141; Rettberg, KD, i. 94-111; KL, vii. 1615-28; Lichtenberger, ESR, xii. 89-91.
THECLA AND PAUL, ACTS OF. See APOCRYPHA, B, II.
THEINER, tai'ner, AUGUSTIN: Roman Catholic Church historian; b. at Breslau, Germany, Apr. 11, 1804; d. in Rome Aug. 10, 1874. He studied theology, and afterward canon law, at the university of his native city, and published, together with his brother, Die katholische Kirche Schlesiens (Altenburg, 1826), also Die Einfiihrung der erzwungenen Ehelosigkeit bei den christlichen Geistlichen, and ihre Folgen (2 vols., 1828; new ed., 3 vole., Barmen, 1892), which was put on the Index. In 1833 he entered the Jesuit order; became a member of the Congregation of the Oratory, and was in 1855, by Pins IX., appointed conservator at the papal archives. But during the Vatican Council he was accused by the Jesuits of procuring documents from the archives for the bishops in opposition, and was removed from his position in 1870. He was a very industrious writer; his works embrace Geschichte des Pontificals Clemens XIV. (2 vols., Leipsie, 1853); Annales ecclesiastici (3 vols., Rome, 1856); Yetera monuments historica Hungarice (2 vole., 1859-60); Vetera monuments Polonice et Lithuanice (4 vols., 1860-64); Codex diplomatieus (3 vols., 1861-62); Vetera monuments Slavorum meridionalium (1863); Vetera monuments Hibernorum et Seotorum (1864); Acts . . . concilii Tridentini (Leipsic, 1874).
BIBLIOGRAPHY: H. Gisiger, Theiner and die Jesuiten, Mannheim, 1875; H. Bruek, Geschichte der katholischen Kirche in Deutschland, iii. 344, Mainz, 1896; KL, xi. 148fr88.
The terms " theist " and " theism " apparently
originated as opposites of " atheist " and " athe
ism " in England during the seventeenth century,
when " deistic " and " deism," as general terms
indicating simply the belief in God,
r. The had lost their reputation with the ad
Term. herents of the Church. Ralph Cud
worth (q.v.), in the interest of Platonic
rationalism, and Pierre Bayle (q.v.) used theism
in contradistinction to atheism, but as deism was
similarly used by the latter and others, a closer
definition was required. Kant, who was also of the
opinion that the differentiation of deist and theist
originated in England, gave it precision, thus:
" The deist believes that there is a God; the theist
that there is a living God." Theology he held to be
the knowledge of the original being, which is de
rived either by pure reason or by revelation. The
former represents God by pure transcendental con
cepts, and is called transcendental theology, or
by a concept of supreme intelligence derived from
nature, to be called natural theology. A deist is an
adherent of the first, and one who, in addition,
