hedral to prove that anything is
taught here other than the holy gospel. They shall be given a fair
hearing, and may postulate their views without prejudice in any way. And
if they can prove that any one preaches unchristian doctrine, he shall
be punished. Furthermore, we object to having a printing-press
established in Soederkoeping, lest it may do injury to the one established
here." Gustavus was determined that the enemies of Luther should defend
their faith. The disputation between Galle and Olaus Petri two years
before had been unsystematic, and had produced no permanent effect. So
the king resolved to force the parties to debate again. This time he put
down in writing certain questions, and sent them to the leading prelates
of the land, with orders to forward him their answers. The questions
were similar to those already raised; among them being these: Whether we
may reject all teaching of the Fathers and all Church customs that are
unsupported by the Word of God; whether the dominion of the pope and his
satellites is for or against Christ; whether any authority can be found
in the Bible for monastic life; whether any revelation is to be relied
on other than that recorded in the Bible; whether the saints are to be
considered patrons, or in any way are mediators between ourselves and
God. Gustavus intended that when the answers were all received, a public
hearing should be had, and every prelate given an opportunity to refute
the doctrines of his opponents. Some of the Roman Catholics, however,
refused to enter the arena. Brask, in writing to the monarch, declared
his clergy to be satisfied with their present doctrines, and unwilling
to discuss them publicly. The bishop also wrote to Galle, hoping to
dissuade him from the contest. But Galle, it appears, was eager for the
fray. He put his answers down in writing, and sent them to the king.
Other prelates, it is reported, did the same. The contest, however,
presumably from lack of combatants, did not succeed. Petri therefore
took the written answers filed by Galle, and printed them in book form,
along with comments by himself. This book does little credit either to
Petri or to the general intelligence of his time. Should any one ask
proof that we are more rational creatures than our fathers, he can do no
better than study in Petri's book the controversy that raged between the
intellectual giants of Sweden at the close of 1526. Of the positions
taken by the two contesta