What, if any, was John Calvin's responsibility for the execution of Michael Servetus?

Question

To start with, it appears that John Calvin never really liked the brand of Christianity which the Spanish Protestant believed in and preached. Worse, some historians write that Calvin thought Servetus was a threat to his dominance over Geneva. Eventually, Servetus was burned at the stake, uttering "Misericordias! Misericordias!" (in Calvin's words, ". . . in that awful Spanish accent!") before expiring. As a corollary question, did Calvin express regret for the execution of Servetus?

To start with, it appears that John Calvin never really liked the brand of Christianity which the Spanish Protestant believed in and preached. Worse, some historians write that Calvin thought Servetus was a threat to his dominance over Geneva. Eventually, Servetus was burned at the stake, uttering "Misericordias! Misericordias!" (in Calvin's words, ". . . in that awful Spanish accent!") before expiring. As a corollary question, did Calvin express regret for the execution of Servetus? If he did not, what would that make Calvin?

Answer 1

In my reading I have never encountered the premise that Cavin sanctioned the death. However I have not read anything that indicates that he was troubled by the death either.

In would seem that this is not just a passing question for you. Is there some reason that you want to know?

Answer 2

Michael Servetus grow to be a Christian living interior the 1500's who incurred the wrath of John Calvin and grow to be murdered by skill of him and his cronies for illegitimate motives. He grow to be accused of heresy and railroaded by a ridicule trial and positioned to death being burned alive on the stake. yet such an atrocity grow to be praised by skill of even properly-known Calvinists as Bullinger and others for generations. a pair of costs from John Calvin himself: 7 years till now the incident: "If he [Servetus] comes [to Geneva], I shall on no account permit him go out alive if my authority has weight." Written by skill of John Calvin in a letter to Farel Feb. 13, 1546 during the incident returned Calvin writes Farel in a letter dated Aug twentieth 1553 the place he has Servetus arrested. "we've got new employer in hand with Servetus. He meant maybe passing by this city; for it extremely is not yet known with what layout he got here. yet after he have been known, i presumed that he could desire to be detained. My chum Nicolas summoned him on a capital value. ... i'm hoping that sentence of death will a minimum of be surpassed upon him"

Answer 3

I've read a lot of cites in which it is claimed that Calvin killed Servetus, but I cannot find any documents from the time. At this point, I don't know if anyone can say definitively what Calvin's part was for sure, but interesting question.