In preparation for Halloween Reformation Day (same difference), perhaps it is time to look at -
THIS DAY IN HISTORY – October 27, 1553
From Wikipedia:
As Servetus was not a citizen of Geneva, and legally could at worst be banished, the government had consulted with other Swiss Reformed cantons (Zurich, Bern, Basel, Schaffhausen), which universally favored his condemnation and the suppression of his doctrine, but without saying how that should be accomplished. Martin Luther had condemned his writing in strong terms. Servetus and Philip Melanchthon had strongly hostile views of each other. Those who went against the idea of his execution, the party called “Libertines”, drew the ire of much of Christendom. On 24 October Servetus was sentenced to death by burning for denying the Trinity and infant baptism. When Calvin requested that Servetus be executed by decapitation rather than fire, Farel, in a letter of September 8, chided him for undue lenity, and the Geneva Council refused his request. On 27 October 1553 Servetus was burned at the stake just outside Geneva with what was believed to be the last copy of his book chained to his leg. Historians record his last words as: “Jesus, Son of the Eternal God, have mercy on me.”
Happy Reformation Day (a few days early), Michael!
[Please do note, that Calvin requested that Servetus be decapitated, instead of burned at the stake. So don't ever say that the creator of the so-called "doctrines of grace" was a heartless, graceless guy...]
47 Comments(+Add)
HalloweenReformation Day Rules! It’s always great fun when we can run around dressed like those who were persecuted by Calvin and not be confused with those who are running around celebrating that unholy halloween.******just for fun***
Who cares what Calvin did, it is what he believed that mattered.
The whole “Reformation Day” is weird…
…so do I dress up like Luther and hand out antisemitic tracts, or like Spurgeon puffing on a cigar, or like Calvin, with a bible in one hand and a torch in the other?
So many choices…
The reformation was an act of God to bring salvation by grace through faith back to His people. But the idolatry that surrounds Calvin, Luther, and others is exactly what God abhors.
I am dressing as a scorched Servetus with a sign on my chest – “Turn or burn!”.
I personally enjoy dressing as Calvin for Halloween, its scary, and based in reality. It was tough choosing between him and Ed Gein.
Hmmm… Where is the grace you show towards Warren or Bell or whomever the “odms” critique?
Do a study on Arminius sometime. He is as faulty a person, actually more so, than any of the reformers.
This is why I stick to the Word.
However if the choice was to be like Calvin or any of you. well…..
Btw without the reformation you would still be kissing the bishop’s ring, and you wouldn’t be spreading your rhetoric, and agenda, on this blog.
I sang for Houston’s bishop this year. Does that count for anything?
Chris L.,
I’m not sure I see the connection between Reformation Day and trashing Calvin – again. In Europe, it’s a rather significant deal in some Protestant circles.
Neil
I’d be interested in hearing this. Are you saying that Arminius was responsible for the deaths of individuals?
I’d always heard that Arminius was known more for his pastoral ministry than any of the other reformers.
No you don’t. You stick to the company line.
The Reformation does not equal Calvin. Also to assume that without the Reformers (including Arminius) we know now in history the Reformation never would have happened is beyond silly. The reality is there were several generations of Reformers that paved the way for Luther et al, and there would have been waves of Reformers afterwards if it had been necessary (its even fair to say that waves of Reformers DID come afterwards, Reforming the reformation, especially given how much has been added or forgotten of Luther, Zwingli, Arminius’ and Calvin’s theology).
Bo Diaz, (Isn’t he a ballplayer btw?)
You haven’t a clue what you are talking about. Arminius was a manipulator.
God raised up Luther, as well as those who preceded him. You go the way of all post-modernists in that God’s sovereignty is never considered. That is one fruit of Arminius’ legacy. The other fruit are TBN, wof, “teachers” like Todd Bentley Rick Warren, the ecm, etc etc
It is all about God’s complete foreknowledge.
http://www.apuritansmind.com/Arminianism/JamesArminius/TeachingsOfJamesArminiusMainPage.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Doctrines/Arminianism/arminianism.htm
The hypocrisy here is unbelieveable.
All those who are anti-calvin have only Servetus’ death to draw on.
Where is the sanctimonious umbrage over the, literally, millions who were either directly, or indirectly murdered by Rome?
Your arguments are all colored by your hatred of calvinism and the odms (who are not all calvinists btw).
Talk about broadbrushing.
Iwill go with the Spurgeon, then I can have a nice cigar!
Serious question to Church History Buffs; (Chris P. if you weigh in be nice) What do you think about the argument that Servetus wasn’t killed by Calvin but the execution was actually initiated by his libertine counterparts? Use coherent non attacking arguments please.
Chris P,
I’ve got a costume idea for you:
How about a white-washed tomb?
Four Corners Community Church exists to win people to Jesus Christ and bring them to his eternal family through membership, tosee them grow to Christ-like maturity, and equip them to effectively fulfill the mission of evengelizing the world and ministry to the Church to use whatever means necessary to fulfill his mandate for us in order to magnify his name.
Enough said…
Who knew there ever could be a self-hating purpose-driven emergent like you?
I’m serving Blood of the Reformers punch at my Reformation Day party…
Chris P,
BTW, with all your hating of the dirty papists it’s almost like you were there…
did you lose someone close to you by their hand
or
have you just bought into a bankrupt fake religion that believes nursing rage is a godly obligation?
seriously.
yeeeeesh.
I urinated on the blood of the Reformers a la’ the scubalon of Ken Silva.
He’s also a national hero in Venezuela.
And if you want to be taken seriously you probably should avoid directly blaming Arminius for WoF heresies.
It’d also help if you’d deal with Calvin taking a life a bit more seriously.
Phil – that, my friend, is a classic.
So did God bring about the Reformation or did Calvin? Cause I always thought that God predestined His will. If so then God didn’t need Calvin to bring the Reformation. Joe Schmoe could’ve been the reformer had God chosen him.
I kinda like the theology “Schmoeism”.
Would both sides please refrain fron the name calling?
Amy,
If you’re in here… here’s a classic example of what I was talking about…
Neil
Whoa, did somebody really link to Jesus-is-savior.com?
I always half thought that website was a joke, endlessly hilarious as it is…
Sorry Neil I didn’t mean to offend Joe Schmoe. But I really do like the term “Schmoeism”
Joe,
Depends on who you ask. I think those historians who don’t have a dog in the fight would all agree that Calvin was not directly responsible but he didn’t exactly stand up and stop it (something he could have done given his position). He sort of just looked the other way.
By the way – I don’t hate Calvin or even dislike him over that issue. Now, Calvinists, on the other hand….they are different breed altogether.
I am one of those who looks forward to Reformation Sunday. It is a great time to teach a little history to my congregation. We always close by singing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (one of my favorite hymns). I have found that most Christians in the church have a deplorable understanding of their story and history and we should embrace these opportunities as ministers to correct that deficiency.
I changed my mind.
I am going as John or Charles Wesley, and I will be rolling over in my grave…
Oh how far the Methodists have fallen!
PB-
Roll away.
You obviously have never read John Wesley (I am not suprised). John says that he is not but a “hair’s breadth away from Calvin.”
You really need to drop this concept of the Christian life as one of taking up arms and sides and pitting one side against another.
I am decidedly NOT calvainist. Nor am I arminian. I would call myself Reformed second, a Christian first. I do not believe in Man’s philosophies or theologies. Just the Bible, please.
That said, if Wesley observed the liberalism of the denomination, he would not have anything to do with it.
I’m sure you are right, PB. No doubt your opinion is based on much study and reading of all sides of the issues.
In any event, our doors are always open to you.
Chad,
isn’t funny how the very people who claim to be concerned about “revisionist history” and “truth” are the ones that would make over all our Christian religious history into one big experience of proto-evangelicalism?
I mean…who knew?
hmmm…every act of theology after reading “just the Bible, please” is a human act.
So I guess PB doesn’t believe in his own beliefs…THAT explains things.
Chad,
You get to the point that bothers me about the (Protestant) (Reformation). Most of the ideas that the “reformers” championed and the corruption that they fought against were good. But if the “reformation” never had an end goal (an object that was to be re-formed); it seems to have led to endless protesting for the sake of protesting.
I’ve always wondered how a hymn written in German, gets translated into English… and still rhymes!
nc,
hillarious – in a way that makes me cry…or vomit.
I do not understand the disdain for history and the saints that make up our “great cloud of witnesses” and yet a great respect and almost idolization over one and only one part of history, namely, the 1st century.
In many ways we are still the Diests that founded our country. We do not admit it, but we live as though God “wound up” the story in 33AD and then let the world go on its own steam. The Holy Spirit is pointless historically and has only to do with my individual life and the ability to “see” the events of the 1st century better than you.
Brett, stop making sense. You are a Catholic and your ideas and arguments are naturally suspect
Protestants, by our very name, are protesters. Many protestants feel as though if they give up protesting something (anything, really) than their identity will be in serious jeopardy. God forbid we find our identity in our baptism in Jesus Christ rather than our constructionist labels.
I would be happy to drop the name Protestant altogether.
No, that occured approximately 16 billion years ago.
Chad,
If you will submit to worshiping Mary and the Pope, and you are ready to practice ritualistic silent meditation on the bible, mysticism, and cannibalism; I know where you could sign up to be given the name Catholic?
Caution: You will be automatically sentenced to 500 years in purgatory for previously claiming the name of Protestant.
Perhaps we need a new name: Jump Start Diests. There are the originals who begin 16 billion (or whatever) years ago and then those who think God tweaked his watch in the 1st century – the “Jump Starters.”
I KNEW that was what you guys were all about! Ha!
I’m sure Wesley (as well as Calvin and Lutheran) is just excited that PB has channeled his spirit and is able to speak authoritatively on what Wesley would think today.
I’m also a little baffled at how PB can claim, on the one hand, to be just reading the Bible, but also make claims of authority through Wesley, Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon etc.
Its almost like when he leaves a mirror he forgets what he looks like.
Chris P: Hmmm… Where is the grace you show towards Warren or Bell or whomever the “odms” critique?
Hmmm… Where is the lack of grace in this post? It’s merely factual, not opinion.
Please stop laying a template of general disdain on everything that comes from this site.
That’s how goldfish are! They also get excited when they discover the little plastic castle in their fishtank every five minutes.
I am holding a Happy Reformation Day party, complete with these gags:
* Exploding Spurgeon cigars
* Non-alcoholic Luther beer
* A mock Calvin heretic stake
* A copy of Calvin’s Institues written in the Message version
* A dunk tank with Johann Eck
Come and expect non-stop hilarity!!
Its official that this blog will be celebrated annually for publishing the 95 feces (as in pounds of) on the door of the cyber church.
Long live the neo papists!
I am celebrating All Saints Day tomorrow along with Eucharist. Looking forward to it.
“the 95 feces”
Classy. Something Luther would say.