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"Post
Tenebras Lux"
was the motto of the Reformation meaning"After the Darkness,
Light."
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About
the The Four Reformers on the Statue in Geneva...
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 uillaume
Farel
Tempestuous reformer from Gap, in the French Alps. He came to
Geneva in 1532, and found many Reformation sympathizers. He
was an encourager of Pierre Viret, the Swiss Reformer, and he
persuaded Calvin to stay in Geneva as its Pastor.
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ean Calvin The
undisputed leader of the Reformation. Building on Luther's theology
of grace through faith, he layed-down the great principles of
biblical religion, beginning with the knowledge of God, the creation,
the fall, then redemption in Jesus Christ, the church, the sacraments,
civil government, and the last things. He preached thousands of
sermons and corresponded with hundreds of Christians in difficulty
throughout Europe. |
héodore de Béze
Known by his Latin name, Beza, this scholar-statesman was well
respected in the great courts around the Continent. In his hands
he holds the Leges Academiae, the charter of the great school
of Geneva, a training center for the persecuted ministers of the
French-speaking world. He was the President of that school and
its most effective professor. His theological writings, on a vast
array of subjects, continue to benefit the church today.
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ohn Knox The
only non-French reformer, he was only briefly in Geneva. During
that time he was the Pastor to English-speaking refugees fleeing
persecution. He returned to his native Scotland and established
a Protestant church there based on the Genevan model. His preaching
was so strong it was said of him that in one hour he could put
more new life into people than five hundred trumpets ringing without
ceasing. He was the founder of Presbyterianism.
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A
Few Names and Events Connected with The Reformation in France
and Switzerland...
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| French
Kings François I (Valois King, reigned 1514-1547)
Centralized France, battled against Charles V Calvin wrote
his Institutes Preface to him. Marguerite d'AngoulÍme,
afterwards Queen of Navarre, his sister, agreed with the Reformation
and protected Protestant sympathizers, such as LefËvre, at NÈrac. |
| Henri
II (reigned 1547-1559) son of François I married Catherine
de Medicis consolidated France against the English. Brought
back the Guises, opponents of Protestants, from Italy, vs Spaniards |
| Henri
de Navarre (Bourbon King, reigned as Henry IV 1589-1610) son
of Jeanne d'Albret, Protestant gave up Protestantism, escaped
the St Bartholomew's Day massacre, brought prosperity to France
Edict of Nantes (1598) assured some toleration of religion |
| Louis
XIV (Bourbon King, reigned 1643-1715) The "Sun King" was persuaded
to revoke the Edict of Nantes (1685), persecuting Protestants
and Jansenists Bible Editions and Translations 1516 |
| Erasmus
publishes the Greek New Testament in a good new edition. He also
translated the Bible into Latin, and made a paraphrase of it.
1522 Martin Luther translated the NT, and in 1534 the entire
Bible into German. Revised in 1545. |
| 1523
Jacques Lefévre d'Etaples revised the recension
of Jean de Rely. The NT was done in 1523, the entire Bible in
1530, into French. Somewhat literalistic, the marginal notes show
Protestant sympathies. |
| 1535
Pierre Robert Olivetan's translation of the Bible into French,
the first done from the Greek and Hebrew, though inspired by LefËvre.
Latin preface by his cousin Calvin. |
| The
1553 edition was printed by Robert Estienne, and is the
first to use chapters and verses. 1588 A revision of the Olivetan
Bible became known as the Geneva Bible, and was the favorite of
French Protestants for generations. |
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