| Subject: Re:John Calvin persecuted Castellio |
Author:
XOX
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Date Posted: 12:59:49 06/24/04 Thu
In reply to:
XOX
's message, "Founder of Liberal Christianity" on 12:56:40 06/24/04 Thu
It is good that the power church could no longer executed Christians from disagreeing with their particular dogma. But those who are in power could still restrict the rights of others based on what their verion of what's right, disregarding that it is all wrong in other Christians' beliefs.
How intolerance John Calvin when he dealed with Castellio who disagreed with him on two points. Castellio couldn't accept teh Song of Solomon as a scared text, but only as a profane poem, devoid of metaphorical allusion to the chruch. And Castellio had a different explaination of Christ's descent into hell.
Because of that, John Calvin tried to find way to persecuted him.
For Calvin there was no room for any interpretative deviation, independent thought or refusal of his supremacy. However, Castellio treasured freedom of conscience for which he was ready to pay any price so that in the end he was not admitted to the ministry. He was called before the Council and charged by Calvin with "undermining the prestige of the clergy."
So, what did Castellio do? Castellio didn't compromise and bow down to the totalitarian John Calvin, instead he resigned from his post and left Geneva.
The Council was highly reluctant and unwilling to charge one of its most respected and valued citizens so Castellio was only censored and his duties as a preacher were suspended until a further decision could be made. Castellio in turn asked the Council to be dismissed from his duties and left Geneva for Basel disappointed and resentful against Calvin and his clergy. Before he left, however, in order to avoid any misunderstanding that he lost his office for misconduct he asked for a written statement about the affair, which Calvin reluctantly signed:
"That no one may form a false idea of the reasons for the departure of Sebastian Castellio, we all declare that he has voluntarily resigned his position as rector of the college, and until now performed his duties in such a way that we regarded him worthy to become one of our preachers. If in the end, the affair was not thus arranged, this is not because any fault has been found in Castellio's conduct, but merely for the reasons previously indicated."
These reasons were, as mentioned before a minor difference in interpretation of the scripture.
Why this piece of history is interesting, is that many fundies today act like John Calvin. It is important to not let them get the power to persecute those Christians who disagreed with them. Because if fundies have the power, they are much more likely to dominate and control others by intimidation rather than to tolerance and accept different beliefs or different interpretation of the scriptures.
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