Panel Discussion: Should We Hold the Death of Servetus Against Calvin? | DG 2009
Should we hold the death of Servetus against John Calvin?
The speakers’ responses recorded in a rather rough set of notes:
Mark Talbot: It was out of Calvin’s control
The issue of Servetus was taken out of Calvin’s hands, and Calvin was not allowed to make the decisions. All of the council members said that Servetus needed to be convicted of heresy. At the time, heresy was much worse of an offense because of the way it could disturb the state. It was necessary for the counsel to be firm against heresy as the Catholics. Protestants needed to take a stand.
Calvin was not, in any way, at fault. Servetus’ condemnation was more or less inevitable. Soon after he was condemned, people who were against Calvin on other grounds started to spread rumors that Calvin was at his burning. Calvin was not present, had hoped Servetus would recant, and said that Servetus should be put to death with the sword.
Marvin Olasky: Servetus was looking for trouble
Servetus was a guy indeed looking for trouble. He went to a lot of places speaking what was heresy under any theological regime. Went to one place, got in trouble, went to another place, got in trouble, and so forth. It was standard procedure for heretics to be put to death. …It is not as if Calvin was out for blood and others were not. It is a historical black mark.
Julius Kim: Did the church or the state have the power to excommunicate?
It is important to remember this was all taken out of Calvin’s hands. One of Calvin’s main questions was whether the church or the state had the power to excommunicate people and discipline. Should the church, or the magistrate, be the one to deem people are heretics?
Sam Storms: The essence of Servetus’ heresy: He claimed Jesus was not God
Heresy was considered a public crime, not a private matter. It was viewed on the same level as robbery or civil rebellion. They did not separate theological heresy from other basic criminal offenses.
The essence of his heresy was that Servetus was not willing to say Jesus was God.
Here is the full panel discussion, including the answers to 7 other questions.
Guest writer Daniel C. Wilson is covering the Desiring God National Conference.
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September 30, 2009