We've all heard it before, "Calvin killed Servetus!," "Calvin forced the death of Servetus!," "Calvin wanted Servetus dead and had him killed!" These
cries that are still echoed today are nothing new. Calvin himself had
to address the rumors and slander of his name while he was alive.
To be sure Calvin was no friend of Servetus. He did not tolerate the heresy and perversion of Christ's name from the man. Of course Calvin was patient and personally kind to the man going so far as to visit him in prison and trying to convince the man to repent of his errors; even warning him not to come to Geneva where he was wanted.
Of course all that goes unmentioned by those that lay blame of Servetus's death not with himself but on Calvin.
Calvin's dealing with Servetus is a great example of being gentle with opponents (attempting to meet with Servetus, visiting him in prison, warning him) "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will" (2 Ti. 2:24-26) and being poignant and severe in proportion to the false teaching, "Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh" (Phil. 3:2); "Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you" (Gal. 2:4-5).
Here are Calvin's own words in response to the false teaching of Servetus and the accusation that he wanted him put to death. Calvin does not mention Servetus by name, as he does others in his refutation of other men, but as I was reading I wondered if he was indeed referring to Servetus and so I searched the footnotes which say that it is. I underlined the portion I wish to emphasize. Continue at Calvin Answers
To be sure Calvin was no friend of Servetus. He did not tolerate the heresy and perversion of Christ's name from the man. Of course Calvin was patient and personally kind to the man going so far as to visit him in prison and trying to convince the man to repent of his errors; even warning him not to come to Geneva where he was wanted.
Of course all that goes unmentioned by those that lay blame of Servetus's death not with himself but on Calvin.
Calvin's dealing with Servetus is a great example of being gentle with opponents (attempting to meet with Servetus, visiting him in prison, warning him) "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will" (2 Ti. 2:24-26) and being poignant and severe in proportion to the false teaching, "Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh" (Phil. 3:2); "Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you" (Gal. 2:4-5).
Here are Calvin's own words in response to the false teaching of Servetus and the accusation that he wanted him put to death. Calvin does not mention Servetus by name, as he does others in his refutation of other men, but as I was reading I wondered if he was indeed referring to Servetus and so I searched the footnotes which say that it is. I underlined the portion I wish to emphasize. Continue at Calvin Answers
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