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JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY -<br />
PROF. M. M. NINAN<br />
Philibert Berthelier, a member of a libertine family <strong>and</strong> son of a famous Geneva patriot, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
sessions were led by Pierre Tissot, Perrin's brother-in-law. The libertines allowed the trial to drag on in<br />
an attempt to harass <strong>Calvin</strong>. The difficulty in using Servetus as a weapon against <strong>Calvin</strong> was that the<br />
heretical reputation of Servetus was widespread <strong>and</strong> most of the cities in Europe were observing <strong>and</strong><br />
awaiting the outcome of the trial. This posed a dilemma for the libertines, so on 21 August the council<br />
decided to write to other Swiss cities for their opinions, thus mitigating their own responsibility for the<br />
final decision. While waiting for the responses, the council also asked Servetus if he preferred to be<br />
judged in Vienne or in Geneva. He begged to stay in Geneva. On 20 October the replies from Zurich,<br />
Basel, Bern, <strong>and</strong> Schaffhausen were read <strong>and</strong> the council condemned Servetus as a heretic.<br />
When the Geneva city authorities decide that heretics like Servetus should be burned at the stake no<br />
matter what the law says, <strong>Calvin</strong> expresses his agreement:noting that if Servetus were to come, he<br />
would not assure him safe conduct: "for if he came, as far as my authority goes, I would not let him<br />
leave alive."<br />
"Whoever shall maintain that wrong is done to heretics <strong>and</strong> blasphemers in punishing them makes<br />
himself an accomplice in their crime <strong>and</strong> guilty as they are. There is no question here of man's<br />
authority; it is God who speaks, <strong>and</strong> clear it is what law he will have kept in the church, even to the end<br />
of the world.<br />
Wherefore does he dem<strong>and</strong> of us a so extreme severity, if not to show us that due honor is not paid<br />
him, so long as we set not his service above every human consideration, so that we spare not kin, nor<br />
blood of any, <strong>and</strong> forget all humanity when the matter is to combat for His glory."<br />
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++><br />
The <strong>Calvin</strong>ists have their version of story which tries to take <strong>Calvin</strong> out of the trial altogether. Here is<br />
how it goes. Servitus insisted that all creation form part of body of God since God alone existed in<br />
the beginning:<br />
" The thirty-eight articles of accusation were drawn up by <strong>Calvin</strong>. Two examinations took place.<br />
At the second of these, Servetus persisted in one of his errors, namely, that all things, “even this<br />
footstool,” are the substance of God.<br />
After further examinations, these articles, with the replies of the accused man, were sent to the<br />
churches of Zurich, Berne, Basle, <strong>and</strong> Schaffhausen, with a request for their opinion. Farel’s reply is<br />
worthy of record: “It will be a wonder if that man, suffering death, should at the time turn to the Lord,<br />
dying only one death, whereas he has deserved to die a thous<strong>and</strong> times.”<br />
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