Thomas Erastus, a notable physician and Calvinist theologian, passed away on December 31, 1583. Born on September 7, 1524, in Switzerland, he studied theology at the University of Basel in 1540. He is best known for his 75 theses advocating that the state should punish Christian sins, a view that later became known as Erastianism. After a tumultuous career, including excommunication and a return to Basel, he became a professor of ethics at the University of Basel, where he died. See wikipedia for more information.