Jonas Magni Wexionensis

Jonas Magni was born on March 11, 1583 in Växjö, Sweden. He added the name Wexionensis in honor of his birthplace. His father was Magnus Petri who was vicar in Växjö. His mother was Ingerd Jönsdotter and had a total of eleven children, all males who became church leaders. He was educated in Växjö and Linköping and later studied at Uppsala University. After the death of his father from the plague, he left for Germany where he remained for ten years. He studied for a master's degree in Wittenberg in 1610, which studied where partly financed through a royal scholarship. Upon his return to Sweden in 1614, Wexionensis was appointed ethics professor in Uppsala University.

As a professor of ethics, Wexionensis was in conflict with those who defended Ramism, including Laurentius Paulinus Gothus who was backed by the chancellor of the university Johan Skytte. In 1620, Wexionensis' ethics professorship was changed into the professorship in history, a consequence of the importance Wexionensis gave to Aristotle, above that of Petrus Ramus. However, in the 1620s, Johan Skytte's philosophical views concerning Aristotle shifted and consequently, he appointed Wexionensis as the professor of theology in 1624, a post he undertook two years after the appointment.

During his time at the university, he served as head for three times. He was nominated as Archbishop of Uppsala in 1636 but Axel Oxenstierna, the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden, did not view him as having the necessary authority to be Archbishop. Nevertheless, in 1640 he was appointed Bishop of Skara. He was consecrated in Stockholm on January 13, 1641 by Archbishop Laurentius Paulinus Gothus and was commissioned to commence his episcopacy in Skara on March 3. In 1641 he founded the Katedralskolan, Skara, which was also approved by Queen Christina on August 31 of the same year. In 1647 he was once more nominated for the Archbishopric of Uppsala, however he received 39 votes and was defeated by Johannes Canuti Lenaeus whom he then consecrated.[1]

Wexionensis was married to Sigrid Johansdotter Bubb and had seven children.