After some negotiation, Ami Perrin, commissioner for Geneva, persuaded Calvin to return. He did so, though unwillingly, on September 13, 1541. His entry was modest. Geneva was a church-city-state of 15,000 people, and the church constitution now recognized "pastors, doctors, elders and deacons," but the supreme power was given to the magistrate, John Calvin. In November 1552, the Council declared Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion to be a "holy doctrine which no man might speak against." Thus the State issued dogmatic decrees, the force of which had been anticipated earlier, as when Jacques Gruet, a known opponent of Calvin, was arrested, tortured for a month and beheaded on July 26, 1547, for placing a letter in Calvin's pulpit calling him a hypocrite. Gruet's book was later found and burned along with his house while his wife was thrown out into the street to watch. Gruet's death was more highly criticized by far than the banishment of Castellio or the penalties inflicted on Bolsec -- moderate men opposed to extreme views in discipline and doctrine, who fell under suspicion as reactionary. Calvin did not shrink from his self-appointed task. Within five years fifty-eight sentences of death and seventy-six of exile, besides numerous committals of the most eminent citizens to prison, took place in Geneva. The iron yoke could not be shaken off. In 1555, under Ami Perrin, a revolt was attempted. No blood was shed, but Perrin lost the day, and Calvin's theocracy triumphed. John Calvin had secured his grip on Geneva by defeating the very man, Ami Perrin, commissioner of Geneva, who had invited him there.
Calvin forced the citizens of Geneva to attend church services under a heavy threat of punishment. Since Calvinism falsely teaches that God forces the elect to believe, it is no wonder that Calvin thought he could also force the citizens of Geneva to all become the elect. Not becoming one of the elect was punishable by death or expulsion from Geneva. Calvin exercised forced regeneration on the citizens of Geneva because that is what his theology teaches.
Michael Servetus, a Spaniard, a physician, a scientist and a Bible scholar was born in Villanova in 1511. He was credited with the discovery of the pulmonary circulation of the blood from the right chamber of the heart through the lungs and back to the left chamber of the heart. He was Calvin's longtime friend in their earlier resistance against the Roman Catholic Church. Servetus, while living in Vienne (historic city in southeastern France), angered Calvin by returning a copy of Calvin's writings, Institutes, with critical comments in the margins. Servetus was arrested by the Roman Catholic Authorities on April 4 but escaped on April 7, 1553. He traveled to Geneva where he attended Calvin's Sunday preaching service on August 13. Calvin promptly had Servetus arrested and charged with heresy for his disagreement with Calvin's theology. The thirty-eight official charges included rejection of the Trinity and infant baptism. Servetus was correct in challenging Calvin's false teaching about infant baptism leading to salvation, but he was heretical in his rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity. Servetus pleaded to be beheaded instead of the more brutal method of burning at the stake, but Calvin and the city council refused the quicker death method. Other Protestant churches throughout Switzerland advised Calvin that Servetus be condemned but not executed. Calvin ignored their pleas and Servetus was burned at the stake on October 27, 1553. Servetus was screaming as he was literally baked alive from the feet upward and suffered the heat of the flames for 30 minutes before finally succumbing to one of the most painful and brutal death methods possible. Servetus had written a theology book, a copy of which Calvin had strapped to the chest of Servetus. The flames from the burning book rose against Servetus' face as he screamed in agony.
John Calvin was proud of his killing of Servetus, bragging and celebrating. Many theological and state leaders criticized Calvin for the unwarranted killing of Servetus, but it fell on deaf ears as Calvin advised others to do the same. Calvin wrote much in following years in a continual attempt to justify his burning of Servetus. Some people claim Calvin favored beheading, but this does not fit charges of heresy for which the punishment as written by Calvin earlier was to be burning at the stake. Calvin had made a vow years earlier that Servetus would never leave Geneva alive if he were ever captured, and Calvin held true to his pledge.
Another victim of Calvin's fiery zeal was Gentile of an Italian sect in Geneva, which also numbered among its adherents Alciati and Gribaldo. More or less Unitarian in their views, they were required to sign a confession drawn up by Calvin in 1558. Gentile signed it reluctantly, but in the upshot he was condemned and imprisoned as a perjurer. He escaped only to be twice incarcerated at Berne where, in 1566, he was beheaded. Calvin also had thirty-four (34) women burned at the stake after accusing them of causing a plague that had swept through Geneva in 1545. John Calvin's actions were very paganistic like his mentor, Saint Augustine. Jesus and all of the Apostles would have abhorred and condemn these blatant mass murders.
The citizens of Geneva hated John Calvin as he clearly stated. In 1554 Calvin wrote "Dogs bark at me on all sides. Everywhere I am saluted with the name of 'heretic,' and all the calumnies that can possibly be invented are heaped upon me; in a word, the enemies among my own flock attack me with greater bitterness than my declared enemies among the papists." Calvin, quoted in Schaff, History, volume 8, page 496. The history of John Calvin's reign of terror in Geneva is undisputed. Calvin himself had historical records kept that have survived to this day.
John Calvin had no love, no compassion, no patience and no tolerance for those who did not believe his Institutes. Criticism of Calvin's Institutes was considered heresy for which the sentence was death by burning at the stake. To his dying day Calvin preached and taught from his works. By no means an aged man, he was worn out in these frequent controversies. On April 25, 1564, he made his will, leaving 225 French crowns, of which he bequeathed ten to his college, ten to the poor, and the remainder to his nephews and nieces. His last letter was addressed to Farel. He was buried without pomp in a spot which is not now ascertainable. In the year 1900 a monument of expiation was erected to Servetus in the Place Champel. Geneva has long since ceased to be the head of Calvinism.
John Calvin's murder of people who held different doctrinal views, his failure to acknowledge or repent from his sins, his incomplete gospel, his placing of his own writings above the Bible, his distortion of God and the Scriptures, and his dependence upon infant baptism places into question his salvation. In all of his writings is not found a clear declaration of his salvation by faith in the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Calvin was a cruel, murderous, tyrant who considered himself to be the pope of Geneva. The Bible never advocates harming an individual due to his unbelief or lack of understanding. Jesus taught to "turn the other cheek" instead. None of the Apostles taught action against unbelievers but instead taught the believer to seek them out to present the gospel in love.
Yeah...somehow humans think it's ok to "cast the first stone"...and the only way they would feel able to do that is because they think they're "perfect". Straining a gnat. Picking out specks. Hypocrites. It's hard to believe so-called "Christians" could be so merciless...but of course there's no way you could be wrong if you're under the direct control of God. Everything you do would be "His will". Sounds like almost like Muslim extremism. If you are a servant of God that has been shown great mercy...and you do not show mercy to others...then you are a unfaithful hypocrite and you will be cast into darkness. Ah...the birth of Calvinism. Sad. Too bad he couldn't see what he was doing...
It is always so easy to condemn someone's views and actions from another time and another perspective.
Certainly Calvin had his flaws, and there are people who critisised him even back then. But he was not king of Geneva, there was a city council which made the decisions.
It is easy to look into the lives of people, seek for the downsides and then say: Look, the sinner! People doen it to Luther, for his antisemitism which was horrible and later used by Hitler, though Luther meant something completely different.
But it is cheap to do an agument ad persona. Of course Calvin's teaching had to do with his Institutions, but not because he liked them more than the bible, but because they were what he had drawn as conclusions from reading the bible.
But okay, maybe any attac counts as long as it serves putting different thoughts down, right? So because Calvin was involved in the execution of Servet, there is no way that people are saved by God, they have to do it themselves by deciding to invite Jesus into their hearts, do I get the intention right?
Well, Walter now we have left from merely misinterpreting a few scriptures and ignoring a great deal of others on the same subject, to outright lies and half-truths put forth as propaganda.
Before I spend time refuting this ridiculous pack of lies and half-truths, you need to admit something.
Your anger and hatred towards Reformed Christians is much wider, and includes theologians from ALL of Christian history, and not just Calvin. You should go back to the early Church fathers and you will find some of them saying that Jesus died specifically for His people.
You will find the early Christians calling themselves "the elect". You will find the early church Father Augustine who wrote about predestination in much greater detail than Calvin and a thousand years before Calvin was born! I am now wondering if your next move will be to attempt to denigrate Augustine. Then you have theologians throughout the middle ages. Anselm for instance. Then you have the Reformation itself! for the first time in a thousand years, the average Christian can read the Bible for themselves! And guess what walter? They all concluded that God is sovereign in salvation! Luther wrote a book called "the bondage of the will" and said it was the most important thing he ever did! The Reformation was about two things. 1. that the Bible plainly taught justification by faith alone. 2. that fallen mankind was completely helpless and unable to come to Christ, without the Holy Spirit making them into a new person.
All these Christians agreed, and all the church taught that God was sovereign in salvation. later on the we have the followers of ONE theologian, who drew up 5 points they did not like that ALL the churches were teaching. The followers of James Arminius went to ALL the churches. THEY caused a terrible chasm to appear, and sadly, to this day, we have the true followers of James Arminius like yourself, still teaching his stunted and obviously incorrect view of God, of man, and of salvation itself. To list the theologians you go up against is a long list. To list Arminian theologians is a very short list.
I think it is a sad thing, and I hope you repent of it someday.
The Bible teaches that fallen man is a totally spiritually dead being, and you say "No, we have a perfectly free will."
The Bible teaches that God chooses whom he will save, because He is God and this is HIS world. and you say, "No, God just looks into the future and sees who will accept him". The Bible says that Jesus died specifically for His people, and his death literally paid for their sins. You say, "No, Jesus died for everyone including those already in hell, and his death did not actually do anything when he died." The Bible says that God's grace is irresistible and you say, "No, we can stop God from saving us."
The Bible says that all true Christians will persevere to the end because God causes them to." and you say, "well, I am not sure about that".
John Calvin was a quiet, Bible scholar, who wanted to be left alone with his books, and God had other plans for him. What he did was incredible by anyone's standards, and his leadership and incredible mind literally changed western civilization to the point that more than one historian has said that if you don't understand John Calvin, you don't understand America.
The majority of the Founding Fathers were not only Protestant, but Calvinists.
And since you, like many Arminians, are hung up on the word Calvinism, you need to realize that John Calvin would not even know the term. He died and one hundred years later, the term became a nickname for five Biblical points of doctrine.
I can say I believe in the augustinian view of predestination and say the same thing.
But here we are in 2010. Before the followers of James arminius came along and demanded others to change their beliefs, I was just a Christian. But now, I am called a Calvinist
It is so easy to look with hindsight at certain things and condemn those involved. So, a few people who believed a different theology were killed......didn't God order the Israelites tokill every man, woman, and child, including the livestock, of certain peoples?
Sir James is exactly right. I don't know what makes the author of this article hate so deeply, but there is not one Christian thing in there. Times, events, and situations were twisted to give a certain perspective. Is that what we do as Christians? Not this Christian. Like James said, is Augustine next? Then who? Paul? Jesus? They both taught predestination.
This was an unwarranted, unprovoked attack on a Christian who can not speak out in his own defense. This is not debate, it is a smear campaign. To me, it seems a poor, desperate attempt by one who has no facts on his side.
I love you Bro. Walter, but this makes you look bad. Write your own arguments, they are better researched and well thought out. This author was ....just sad.
In the salem witch trials innocent people were also killed. Many people were scared and some of them went after innocents to protect themselves. The guilty also were killed. we all make mistakes, this aguement is old, grow up and move on. In the name of Jesus. Dennis
You will know them by their fruits. 'Nuff said. Maybe we shouldn't talk about Hitler either....he had a legitimate personal belief system. Unfortunately...history speaks volumes about the results of people actions...whether or not all of this stuff about Calvin is %100 correct...even one thing being correct is scary...
I have read plenty of the history of the Reformation.
it is the most exciting time of church history, and all Christians should know what the Reformation was, and at least the major things that went on. The article below is mostly lies and half truths, with very important details left out, all for the purpose of getting you, the reader, to shun historic Christian beliefs.
I have read Kenneth Scott Latourette's history of Christianity, and it is the best overall work on church history in general.
There are other books that are good just on the Reformation, and I am just going to quote things I remember off the top of my head, as the article below is not worth the work of footnoting, and I would hope the reader would study church history and find out the truth for themselves, instead of a hit piece posted on the internet.
Calvin's Reign of Terror
Posted : 21 Apr, 2010 11:49 AM
Calvin's Reign of Terror
James replies:
The title itself is a lie. Calvin never had any rank above pastor.
In Geneva, he had zero authority outside of that of a pastor.
Article:
After some negotiation, Ami Perrin, commissioner for Geneva, persuaded Calvin to return. He did so, though unwillingly, on September 13, 1541. His entry was modest. Geneva was a church-city-state of 15,000 people, and the church constitution now recognized "pastors, doctors, elders and deacons," but the supreme power was given to the magistrate, John Calvin.
James replies:
This is a lie. The council (syndics) were a group of magistrates and THEY controlled Geneva and Calvin was ONLY a pastor.
The council even owned the house and furniture inside the home Calvin and his wife lived in.
article continues:
In November 1552, the Council declared Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion to be a "holy doctrine which no man might speak against."
James replies:
this is also a lie. Calvin was not liked by the council by then and he was at his lowest level of popularity at this point.
Article continues:
Thus the State issued dogmatic decrees, the force of which had been anticipated earlier, as when Jacques Gruet, a known opponent of Calvin, was arrested, tortured for a month and beheaded on July 26, 1547, for placing a letter in Calvin's pulpit calling him a hypocrite.
James replies:
half truth with important missing details. Gruet was convicted BY THE COURTS of several crimes, and police found evidence at his home, and yes, the COURTS put him to death. Gruet's letter also threatened God and the church and the city itself.
Article continues:
Gruet's book was later found and burned along with his house while his wife was thrown out into the street to watch. Gruet's death was more highly criticized by far than the banishment of Castellio or the penalties inflicted on Bolsec -- moderate men opposed to extreme views in discipline and doctrine, who fell under suspicion as reactionary. Calvin did not shrink from his self-appointed task. Within five years fifty-eight sentences of death and seventy-six of exile, besides numerous committals of the most eminent citizens to prison, took place in Geneva.
James replies:
Now we are back to bold face lies again! Calvin was a pastor!
The COURTS, whose JOB IT IS to mete out justice, DID SO, and this had NOTHING to do with Calvin.
Article continues:
The iron yoke could not be shaken off. In 1555, under Ami Perrin, a revolt was attempted. No blood was shed, but Perrin lost the day, and Calvin's theocracy triumphed. John Calvin had secured his grip on Geneva by defeating the very man, Ami Perrin, commissioner of Geneva, who had invited him there.
James replies:
This is all wrong. You should read church history and ignore this article. It tells you nothing about Perrin! Perrin won actually, and this article tells you nothing about the libertines.
article continues:
Calvin forced the citizens of Geneva to attend church services under a heavy threat of punishment.
James replies:
What punishment? This article is just bogus.
article continues:
Since Calvinism falsely teaches that God forces the elect to believe, it is no wonder that Calvin thought he could also force the citizens of Geneva to all become the elect.
James replies:
God "forces the elect to believe"? How about this instead:
1 Peter 1:2: ....chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified
by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling of His
blood...
As far as the comment "Calvin thought he could also force the citizens of Geneva to all become elect" Well, that is just too stupid to answer.
Article continues:
Not becoming one of the elect was punishable by death or expulsion from Geneva.
James replies:
1. this is ANOTHER LIE.
2. this does NOT MAKE ANY SENSE
Article continues:
Calvin exercised forced regeneration on the citizens of Geneva because that is what his theology teaches.
James replies:
Here is a thought. Before one writes a bogus article on the most famous theologian in church history, one SHOULD at least understand the Bible on Regeneration.
As if a person could force someone else to be born again!!!
Article continues:
Michael Servetus, a Spaniard, a physician, a scientist and a Bible scholar was born in Villanova in 1511. He was credited with the discovery of the pulmonary circulation of the blood from the right chamber of the heart through the lungs and back to the left chamber of the heart. He was Calvin's longtime friend in their earlier resistance against the Roman Catholic Church. Servetus, while living in Vienne (historic city in southeastern France), angered Calvin by returning a copy of Calvin's writings, Institutes, with critical comments in the margins. Servetus was arrested by the Roman Catholic Authorities on April 4 but escaped on April 7, 1553. He traveled to Geneva where he attended Calvin's Sunday preaching service on August 13. Calvin promptly had Servetus arrested and charged with heresy for his disagreement with Calvin's theology. The thirty-eight official charges included rejection of the Trinity and infant baptism. Servetus was correct in challenging Calvin's false teaching about infant baptism leading to salvation, but he was heretical in his rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity. Servetus pleaded to be beheaded instead of the more brutal method of burning at the stake, but Calvin and the city council refused the quicker death method. Other Protestant churches throughout Switzerland advised Calvin that Servetus be condemned but not executed. Calvin ignored their pleas and Servetus was burned at the stake on October 27, 1553. Servetus was screaming as he was literally baked alive from the feet upward and suffered the heat of the flames for 30 minutes before finally succumbing to one of the most painful and brutal death methods possible. Servetus had written a theology book, a copy of which Calvin had strapped to the chest of Servetus. The flames from the burning book rose against Servetus' face as he screamed in agony.
John Calvin was proud of his killing of Servetus, bragging and celebrating. Many theological and state leaders criticized Calvin for the unwarranted killing of Servetus, but it fell on deaf ears as Calvin advised others to do the same. Calvin wrote much in following years in a continual attempt to justify his burning of Servetus. Some people claim Calvin favored beheading, but this does not fit charges of heresy for which the punishment as written by Calvin earlier was to be burning at the stake. Calvin had made a vow years earlier that Servetus would never leave Geneva alive if he were ever captured, and Calvin held true to his pledge.
James replies:
There are so many lies, and half truths, and critical details missing, I would guess one could get a more accurate account on Wikedpedia! Good grief, where do I start?
Servetus was a bonehead. He had already gotten the death penalty from the Roman Catholics, and was sentenced to die while he was in prison, and he escaped! Then, instead of fleeing to any of several countries, he went directly to Geneva, and authorities caught him and then his trial began in that city! Servetus wrote a book and publicly taught Modalism, and denied the trinity. You could think that back then, but if you PUBLICLY taught it, AND you got caught, AND YOU REFUSED to recant in court, they put you to death.
Calvin, PLEADED with the court not to burn servetus at the stake, and spent hours in the jail cell WITH Servetus praying with him. Calvin had NO AUTHORITY to stop Servetus from being executed. The council did not like Calvin at that time, and Servetus thought he would win his case because he thought the council would go against Calvin. But Servetus lost anyway!
Article continues:
Another victim of Calvin's fiery zeal was Gentile of an Italian sect in Geneva, which also numbered among its adherents Alciati and Gribaldo. More or less Unitarian in their views, they were required to sign a confession drawn up by Calvin in 1558. Gentile signed it reluctantly, but in the upshot he was condemned and imprisoned as a perjurer. He escaped only to be twice incarcerated at Berne where, in 1566, he was beheaded. Calvin also had thirty-four (34) women burned at the stake after accusing them of causing a plague that had swept through Geneva in 1545. John Calvin's actions were very paganistic like his mentor, Saint Augustine. Jesus and all of the Apostles would have abhorred and condemn these blatant mass murders.
James replies:
Other than spelling names correctly, this is all lies and half truths again.
Article continues:
The citizens of Geneva hated John Calvin as he clearly stated. In 1554 Calvin wrote "Dogs bark at me on all sides. Everywhere I am saluted with the name of 'heretic,' and all the calumnies that can possibly be invented are heaped upon me; in a word, the enemies among my own flock attack me with greater bitterness than my declared enemies among the papists." Calvin, quoted in Schaff, History, volume 8, page 496. The history of John Calvin's reign of terror in Geneva is undisputed. Calvin himself had historical records kept that have survived to this day.
James replies:
Calvin was asked to reform the CHURCH in Geneva, and then he was booted out, and then asked to RETURN AGAIN.
What groups of people asked him to come the first time?
Who wanted him to leave?
Who asked him back? You will have read church history for yourself, because this article is JUNK.
Article continues:
John Calvin had no love, no compassion, no patience and no tolerance for those who did not believe his Institutes.
James replies:
This is a lie. The entire Picture of Calvin being unloving, etc, is just baloney! The institutes of the Christian faith was written to be a handbook for new Christians. It is perhaps the best one ever written. Read if for yourself, or find quotes from it online.
article continues:
Criticism of Calvin's Institutes was considered heresy for which the sentence was death by burning at the stake.
James replies:
ANOTHER LIE.
article continues:
To his dying day Calvin preached and taught from his works. By no means an aged man, he was worn out in these frequent controversies. On April 25, 1564, he made his will, leaving 225 French crowns, of which he bequeathed ten to his college, ten to the poor, and the remainder to his nephews and nieces. His last letter was addressed to Farel. He was buried without pomp in a spot which is not now ascertainable. In the year 1900 a monument of expiation was erected to Servetus in the Place Champel. Geneva has long since ceased to be the head of Calvinism.
John Calvin's murder of people who held different doctrinal views, his failure to acknowledge or repent from his sins, his incomplete gospel, his placing of his own writings above the Bible, his distortion of God and the Scriptures, and his dependence upon infant baptism places into question his salvation. In all of his writings is not found a clear declaration of his salvation by faith in the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Calvin was a cruel, murderous, tyrant who considered himself to be the pope of Geneva. The Bible never advocates harming an individual due to his unbelief or lack of understanding. Jesus taught to "turn the other cheek" instead. None of the Apostles taught action against unbelievers but instead taught the believer to seek them out to present the gospel in love.
James replies:
Absolutely ridiculous and inexcusable LIES.
Read Christian history books written by HISTORIANS and not Arminian hacks who stoop to telling lies in order to denigrate another Christian just because they disagree with them!
