The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Did John Calvin sanction the death of Servetus?

1saved said:
Brother Sanctus Stultus:

I waded through about a third of the post, found something germane to the issue and posted it as a service to others.

The only writers outside Scripture I've recommended to this website are Dr. MacArthur, Dr. Horton, Dr. Boice, Dr. Feinberg, John Bunyan and the book 'Inerrancy' edited by Norman Geisler.

In the future, I may choose to use another author than one of the above. For examples, I have books written by popular writers trying to understand and explain eschatology, i.e. Dr. John Walvoord and Tim Lahaye. I have a book by Rev. Billy Graham.

Should I check with you first? Is there some approved author list published on this website, so I would know who you will accept and who you won't accept as being notable or trustworthy?

By posting it, I did not recommend it, or its author, as having any credibility. In my response concerning Dave Hunt, I admitted to only reading one of his books called 'The Woman Rides The Beast', but since it involves eschatology, it was therefore not germane to the discussion. I deliberately didn't give any opinion on it, to show no bias!

I am certainly aware everyone is scrutinizing everything I've said, looking for someway to attack my logic and question my truthfulness. For example, Pilgrim thinks the dictionary I used (Funk & Wagnalls) is showing bias to define the words 'fruit' and 'tree' or 'sanction'. I offered to use the 'American Heritage Dictionary' instead, if he prefers, but he didn't answer.

I welcome honest concerns. You need to know whether someone is truthful and logical. But in doing so, be careful, for you are criticizing your brother. Jesus teaches us to remove the log from our own eye, before we look for the speck that's in our brother's eye.

I found this, however:
The way from Vienne or Toulouse, where he may have gone first, leads through Grenoble, Modane, and Turin. Why then such a wearisome detour? Moreover he had every reason to avoid Geneva because Calvin had warned him for many years. As early as 1546, he wrote to Farel that should Servetus come to Geneva he would not leave alive, provided his authority was still respected. From the connection of the letter, I conclude he must have written to Servetus in like manner. According to the documents of the trial, Servetus. seemed to be of the opinion that Calvin himself served notice on him in Vienne.


The testimony above says the official documents of the trial of Servetus may imply something different than what Dr. Horton wrote, i.e. there is no official trial record of malice toward Servetus by Calvin. I'm hoping Dr. Horton or a representative of his will clarify this apparent conflicting testimony between Hunt and Dr. Horton.

Saying something doesn't make it true. Quoting Calvin's doctrine doesn't make it true either. I will only accept the inspired Word of God as having any authority in doctrine.

What I have learned in Ephesians 1 was not received from any man, but came by the teaching of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit.