DAVIDISTS

davidists, a fancy name rather than a recognized designation for three religious sects. it has been applied (1) to the followers (if he had any) of david of dinant, in belgium, the teacher or pupil of amalric (amaury) of bena, both of whom taught apparently a species of pantheism. david's _quaterni_, or _quaternuli_, condemned and burnt at paris (1209), is a lost book, known only by references in albertus magnus and thomas aquinas. its author would have been burnt had he not fled. the name has been given (2) to the followers of david george or joris (q.v.), and (3) to the followers of francis david (1510-1579), the apostle of transylvanian unitarianism. (see socinus, unitarianism.)