John Calvin-Life,Legacy and Theology

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