John Calvin, Murderer

[1stcenturylady]

Is bearing false witness still a sin?

Only if you KNOW it is false.

 

[T.C]

This is a slander conjured by anti reformed folk. Who think you can lose your salvation if you sin, so they try to stretch history.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

In actual fact, Calvin was only one member of the council that sentenced Servetus to death. Calvin was not in favour of the death penalty for him, he advocated for a lesser sentence but was outvoted by the others. To call a Calvin a murderer is unfair to him and shows an ignorance of the actual history of the event.

 

[FireDragon76]

Servetus was in big trouble no matter what country he happened to be in. No country would have allowed a heretic like Servetus to live. Europe had not yet developed the institutions capable of religious tolerance.

So, this issue really has nothing to do with Calvin or Calvinism so much as the general tone of the times, which did not yet have our norms.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Servetus, a Spandiard, was successful as a medical doctor and had published books on theology. He had corresponded with John Calvin, apparently hoping to make a friend. Servetus rejected the Trinity, preferring simple monotheism.

Forgive me, but I thought that the Trinity was ONE God. Most Trinitarians believe in only ONE God, in three divine Persons. Now if Servetus was one that believed in oneness theology, then Calvin's rejection of his doctrine was correct.

However, having said that, any of the other actions of Calvin in this situation are wrong.

 

[Dale]

Servetus was in big trouble no matter what country he happened to be in. No country would have allowed a heretic like Servetus to live. Europe had not yet developed the institutions capable of religious tolerance.

So, this issue really has nothing to do with Calvin or Calvinism so much as the general tone of the times, which did not yet have our norms.

Yet the Catholic Inquisition released him just before he went to Geneva. They didn't see Servetus as being that much of a problem.

 

[FireDragon76]

Yet the Catholic Inquisition released him just before he went to Geneva. They didn't see Servetus as being that much of a problem.

The initial arrest resulted in a lack of evidence. However a subsequent arrest, and his escape from prison, combined with a presentation of Calvin's complaints about Servetus to the French authorities, resulted in Catholic authorities burning him in effigy. If he had not escaped from prison, he would have died at the hands of Catholics in France.

My guess is they simply did not initially understand the gravity of the case against Servetus. This is similar to Jacob Boehme, who had heresy charges brought up against him by Lutherans, but the theologians found his book so obscure, the case against him was finally dropped. But later followers of Boehme were persecuted by Lutherans, especially in Russia.

 

[Dale]

The initial arrest resulted in a lack of evidence. However a subsequent arrest, and his escape from prison, combined with a presentation of Calvin's complaints about Servetus to the French authorities, resulted in Catholic authorities burning him in effigy. If he had not escaped from prison, he would have died at the hands of Catholics in France.

My guess is they simply did not initially understand the gravity of the case against Servetus. This is similar to Jacob Boehme, who had heresy charges brought up against him by Lutherans, but the theologians found his book so obscure, the case against him was finally dropped. But later followers of Boehme were persecuted by Lutherans, especially in Russia.

When did the Inquisition ever need evidence?
As for Servetus' escape from the Inquisition, it is far more likely that he was allowed to escape.

 

[sdowney717]

As far as predestination being individual and personal, scripture teaches that it is so.

Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Romans 11 is speaking to gentiles corporately compared to Jews beginning from verse 11, so it is no argument saying those predestined who are all glorified can lose their election to be saved, based on reading Romans 11. Paul actually say the mystery of hardening come upon the jews corporately, was for salvation to proceed to the gentile nations corporately, but God will reverse course when the time of the gentiles is over and then Israel will be graced with salvation in Christ at the end.