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The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of
Religious Knowledge, Philip Schaff Vol. II
(abridged and edited for
clarity) |
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THEODORE
BEZA (1519–1605)
Calvin’s
successor at Geneva
.
Theodore Beza (Théodore de
Bèze or de Besze), Genevan Reformer, was born at Vézelay, in
Burgundy, June 24, 1519; d. at Geneva Oct.13, 1605. His father, Pierre de
Bèze, royal governor of Vézelay, descended from a Burgundian
family of distinction; his mother, Marie Bourdelot, was known for her
generosity. Theodore's father had two brothers; one, Nicholas, was member of
Parliament at Paris; the other, Claude, was abbot of the Cistercian monastery
Froimont in the diocese of Beauvais. Nicholas, who was unmarried, on a visit to
Vézelay was so pleased with Theodore that, with the permission of the
parents, he took him to Paris to educate him there. From Paris Theodore was
sent to Orléans (Dec., 1528) to enjoy the instruction of the famous
German teacher Melchior Wolmar. He was received into Wolmar's house, and the
day on which this took place was afterward celebrated as a second birthday.
Young Beza soon followed his teacher to Bourges, whither the latter was called
by the duchess Margaret of Angoulême, sister of Francis I. Bourges was
one of the places in France in which the heart of the Reformation beat the
strongest. When, in 1534, Francis I issued his edict against ecclesiastical
innovations, Wolmar returned to Germany, and, in accordance with the wish of
his father, Beza went back to Orléans to study law, and spent four years
there (1535–39). This pursuit had little attraction for him; he enjoyed
more the reading of the ancient classics, especially Ovid, Catullus, and
Tibullus. He received the degree of licentiate in law Aug. 11, 1539, and, as
his father desired, went to Paris, where he began practice. His relatives had
obtained for him two benefices, the proceeds of which amounted to 700 golden
crowns a year; and his uncle had promised to make him his successor. Beza spent
two happy years at Paris and soon gained a prominent position in literary
circles. To escape the many temptations to which he was exposed, with the
knowledge of two friends, he became engaged in the year 1544 to a young girl of
humble descent, Claudine Denosse, promising to make this engagement public as
soon as his circumstances would allow it. He published a collection of Latin
poems, Juvenilia, which made him famous, and he was everywhere
considered one of the best Latin poets of his time. But he fell ill and his
distress of body revealed to him his spiritual needs. Gradually he came to the
knowledge of salvation in Christ, which he apprehended with a joyous faith. He
then resolved to sever his connections of the time, and went to Geneva, the
French city of refuge for the Evangelicals, where he arrived with Claudine Oct.
23, 1548.
Teacher at Lausanne
  He was heartily received by Calvin, who had met him already in Wolmar's house, and
was at once publicly and solemnly married in the church. Beza was at a loss for
immediate occupation, so he went to Tübingen to see his former teacher
Wolmar. On his way home he visited Viret at Lausanne, who at once detained him
and brought about his appointment as professor of Greek at the academy there
(Nov., 1549). In spite of the arduous work which fell to his lot, Beza found
time to write a Biblical drama, Abraham Sacrifiant, in which he
contrasted Catholicism with Protestantism, and the work was well received. In
June, 1551, he added a few psalms to the French version of the Psalms begun by
Marot, which was also very successful. About the same time he published his
Passavantius, a satire directed against Pierre Lizet of ill repute,
formerly president of the Parliament of Paris, and principal originator of the
"fiery chamber", who, being at the time (1551) abbot of St. Victor near Paris,
was eager to acquire the fame of a subduer of heresy by publishing a number of
polemical writings. Of a more serious character were two controversies in which
Beza was involved at this time. The first concerned the doctrine of
predestination and the controversy of Calvin with Bolsec. The second referred
to the burning of Michael Servetus at Geneva Oct.
27, 1553. In defense of Calvin and the Genevan magistrates, Beza published in
1554 the work De hæreticis a civili magistratu puniendis
(translated into French in 1560).
Journeys in behalf of the Protestants
In 1557 Beza took a special interest in the
Waldensians of Piedmont, who were harassed by
the French government, and in their behalf went with Farel to Bern, Zurich, Basel, Schaffhausen, thence to
Strasburg, Mümpelgart, Baden, and Göppingen. In Baden and
Göppingen, Beza and Farel had to declare themselves concerning their own
and the Waldensians' views on the sacrament, and on May 14, 1557, they
presented a written declaration in which they clearly stated their position.
This declaration was well received by the Lutheran theologians, but was
strongly disapproved in Bern and Zurich. In the autumn of 1557 Beza undertook a
second journey with Farel to Worms by way of Strasburg to bring about an
intercession of the Evangelical princes of the empire in favor of the
persecuted brethren at Paris. With Melanchthon
and other theologians then assembled at Worms, Beza considered a union of all
Protestant Christians, but this proposal was decidedly negatived by Zurich and
Bern. False reports having reached the German princes that the hostilities
against the Huguenots in France had ceased, no embassy was sent to the court of
France, and Beza undertook another journey in the interest of the Huguenots,
going with Farel, Johannes Buddæus, and Gaspard Carmel to Strasburg and
Frankfort, where the sending of an embassy to Paris was resolved upon.
Settles in Geneva
Upon his return to Lausanne, Beza was greatly
disturbed. In union with many ministers and professors in city and country,
Viret at last thought of establishing a consistory and of introducing a church
discipline which should inflict excommunication especially at the celebration
of the communion. But the Bernese would have no Calvinistic church government.
This caused many difficulties, and Beza thought it best (1558) to settle at
Geneva. Here he occupied at first the chair of Greek in the newly established
academy, and after Calvin's death also that of theology; besides this he was
obliged to preach. He completed the revision of Olivetan's translation of the
New Testament, begun some years before. In 1559 he undertook another journey in
the interest of the Huguenots, this time to Heidelberg; about the same time he
had to defend Calvin against Joachim Westphal in Hamburg and Tileman Hesshusen.
More important than this polemical activity was Beza's statement of his own
confession. It was originally prepared for his father in justification of his
course and published in revised form to promote Evangelical knowledge among
Beza's countrymen. It was printed in Latin in 1560 with a dedication to Wolmar.
An English translation was published at London 1563, 1572, and 1585.
Translations into German, Dutch, and Italian were also issued.
Events of 1560–63
In the mean time things took such shape in France
that the happiest future for Protestantism seemed possible. King Antony of
Navarre, yielding to the urgent requests of Evangelical noblemen, declared his
willingness to listen to a prominent teacher of the Church. Beza, a French
nobleman and head of the academy in the metropolis of French Protestantism, was
invited to Castle Nerac, but he could not plant the seed of Evangelical faith
in the heart of the king. In the year following (1561) Beza represented the
Evangelicals at the Colloquy of Poissy, and in an eloquent manner defended the
principles of the Evangelical faith. The colloquy was without result, but Beza
as the head and advocate of all Reformed congregations of France was revered
and hated at the same time. The queen insisted upon another colloquy, which was
opened at St. Germain Jan. 28, 1562, eleven days after the proclamation of the
famous January edict which granted important privileges to those of the
Reformed faith. But the colloquy was broken off when it became evident that the
Catholic party was preparing (after the massacre of Vassy, Mar. 1) to overthrow
Protestantism. Beza hastily issued a circular letter (Mar. 25) to all Reformed
congregations of the empire, and with Condé and his troops went to
Orléans. It was necessary to proceed quickly and energetically. But
there were neither soldiers nor money. At the request of Condé, Beza
visited all Huguenot cities to obtain both. He also wrote a manifesto in which
he showed the justice of the Reformed cause. As one of the messengers to
collect soldiers and money among his coreligionists, Beza was appointed to
visit England, Germany, and Switzerland. He went to Strasburg and Basel, but
met with failure. He then returned to Geneva, which he reached Sept. 4. He had
hardly been there fourteen days when he was called once more to Orléans
by d’Andelot. The campaign was becoming more successful; but the
publication of the unfortunate edict of pacification which Condé
accepted (Mar. 12, 1563) filled Beza and all Protestant France with horror.
Calvin's Successor
For twenty-two months Beza had been absent from
Geneva, and the interests of school and Church there and especially the
condition of Calvin made it necessary for him to return. For there was no one
to take the place of Calvin, who was sick and unable longer to bear the burden
resting on him. Calvin and Beza arranged to perform their duties jointly in
alternate weeks, but the death of Calvin occurred soon afterward (May 27,
1564). As a matter of course Beza was his successor. Until 1580 Beza was not
only modérateur de la compagnie des pasteurs, but also the real soul of
the great institution of learning at Geneva which Calvin had founded in 1559,
consisting of a gymnasium and an academy. As long as be lived, Beza was
interested in higher education. The Protestant youth for nearly forty years
thronged his lecture-room to hear his theological lectures, in which he
expounded the purest Calvinistic orthodoxy. As a counselor he was listened to
by both magistrates and pastors. Geneva is indebted to him for the founding of
a law school in which François Hotman, Jules Pacius, and Denys Godefroy,
the most eminent jurists of the century, lectured in turn (cf. Charles
Borgeaud, L’Académie de Calvin, Geneva, 1900).
Course of Events after 1564As Calvin's successor, Beza was very successful, not
only in carrying on his work but also in giving peace to the Church at Geneva.
The magistrates had fully appropriated the ideas of Calvin, and the direction
of spiritual affairs, the organs of which were the "ministers of the word" and
"the consistory," was founded on a solid basis. No doctrinal controversy arose
after 1564. The discussions concerned questions of a practical, social, or
ecclesiastical nature, such as the supremacy of the magistrates over the
pastors, freedom in preaching, and the obligation of the pastors to submit to
the majority of the campagnie des pasteurs. Beza obtruded his will in no way
upon his associates, and took no harsh measures against injudicious or
hot-headed colleagues, though sometimes he took their cases in hand and acted
as mediator; and yet he often experienced an opposition so extreme that he
threatened to resign. Although he was inclined to take the part of the
magistrates, he knew how to defend the rights and independence of the spiritual
power when occasion arose, without, however, conceding to it such a
preponderating influence as did Calvin. His activity was great. He mediated
between the compagnie and the magistracy; the latter continually asked his
advice even in political questions. He corresponded with all the leaders of the
Reformed party in Europe. After the massacre of St. Bartholomew (1572), he used
his influence to give to the refugees a hospitable reception at Geneva. About
this time he wrote his De jure magistratuum, in which he emphatically
protested against tyranny in religious matters, and affirmed that it is
legitimate for a people to oppose an unworthy magistracy in a practical manner
and if necessary to use weapons and depose them. To sum up: Without being a
great dogmatician like his master, nor a creative genius in the ecclesiastical
realm, Beza had qualities which made him famous as humanist, exegete, orator,
and leader in religious and political affairs, and qualified him to be the
guide of the Calvinists in all Europe. In the various controversies into which
he was drawn, Beza often showed an excess of irritation and intolerance, from
which Bernardino Ochino, pastor of the Italian congregation at Zurich (on
account of a treatise which contained some objectionable points on polygamy),
and Sebastian Castellio at Basel (on account of his Latin and French
translations of the Bible) had especially to suffer. With Reformed France Beza
continued to maintain the closest relations. He was the moderator of the
general synod which met in April, 1571, at La Rochelle and decided not to
abolish church discipline or to acknowledge the civil government as head of the
Church, as the Paris minister Jean Morel and the philosopher Pierre Ramus
demanded; it also decided to confirm anew the Calvinistic doctrine of the
Lord's Supper (by the expression: "substance of the body of Christ") against
Zwinglianism, which caused a very unpleasant discussion between Beza and Ramus
and Bullinger. In the following year (May, 1572) he took an important part in
the national synod at Nîmes. He was also interested in the controversies
which concerned the Augsburg Confession in Germany,
especially after 1564, on the doctrine of the person of Christ and the
sacrament, and published several works against Westphal, Hesshusen, Selnecker,
Johann Brenz, and Jakob Andrea. This made him, especially after 1571, hated by
all those who adhered to Lutheranism in opposition to Melanchthon.
The Colloquy of MümpelgartThe last polemical conflict of importance Beza
encountered from the exclusive Lutherans was at the Colloquy of
Mümpelgart, Mar. 14–27, 1586, to which he had been invited by the
Lutheran Count Frederick of Württemberg at the wish of the French noblemen
who had fled to Mümpelgart. As a matter of course the intended union which
was the purpose of the colloquy was not brought about; nevertheless it called
forth serious developments within the Reformed Church. When the edition of the
acts of the colloquy, as prepared by J. Andreä, was published, Samuel
Huber, of Burg near Bern, who belonged to the Lutheranizing faction of the
Swiss clergy, took so great offense at the supralapsarian doctrine of predestination
propounded at Mümpelgart by Beza and Musculus that he felt it to be his
duty to denounce Musculus to the magistrates of Bern as an innovator in
doctrine. To adjust the matter, the magistrates arranged a colloquy between
Huber and Musculus (Sept. 2, 1587), in which the former represented the
universalism, the latter the particularism, of grace. As the colloquy was
resultless, a debate was arranged at Bern, Apr. 15–18, 1588, at which the
defense of the accepted system of doctrine was at the start put into Beza's
hands. The three delegates of the Helvetic cantons who presided at the debate
declared in the end that Beza had substantiated the teaching propounded at
Mümpelgart as the orthodox one, and Huber was dismissed from his office.
Last DaysAfter that time
Beza's activity was confined more and more to the affairs of his home. His
faithful wife Claudine had died childless in 1588, a few days before he went to
the Bern Disputation. Forty years they had lived happily together. He
contracted, on the advice of his friends, a second marriage with Catharina del
Piano, a Genoese widow, in order to have a helpmate in his declining years. Up
to his sixty-fifth year he enjoyed excellent health, but after that a gradual
sinking of his vitality became perceptible. He was active in teaching till
Jan., 1597. The saddest experience in his old days was the conversion of King
Henry IV to Roman Catholicism, in spite of his most earnest exhortations
(1593). Strange to say, in 1596 the report was spread by the Jesuits in
Germany, France, England, and Italy that Beza and the Church of Geneva had
returned into the bosom of Rome, and Beza replied in a satire that revealed the
possession still of his old fire of thought and vigor of expression. He was not
buried, like Calvin, in the general cemetery, Plain-Palais (for the Savoyards
had threatened to abduct his body to Rome), but at the direction of the
magistrates, in the monastery of St. Pierre.
Humanistic and Historical WritingsIn Beza's literary activity as well as in his life,
distinction must be made between the period of the humanist (which ended with
the publication of his Juvenilia) and that of the ecclesiastic. But later
productions like the humanistic, biting, satirical Passavantius and
his Complainte de Messire Pierre Lizet . . . prove that in later years
he occasionally went back to his first love. In his old age he published his
Cato censorius (1591), and revised his Poemata, from which he
purged juvenile eccentricities. Of his historiographical works, aside from his
Icones (1580), which have only an iconographical value, mention may be
made of the famous Histoire ecclésiastique des Églises
réformée s au Royaume de France (1580), and his biography of
Calvin, with which must be named his edition of Calvin's Epistolæ et
responsa (1575).
Theological WorksBut all these humanistic and historical studies are
surpassed by his theological productions (contained in Tractationes
theologicæl. In these Beza appears the perfect pupil or the alter
ego of Calvin. His view of life is deterministic and the basis of his religious
thinking is the predestinate recognition of the necessity of all temporal
existence as an effect of the absolute, eternal, and immutable will of God, so
that even the fall of the human race appears to him essential to the divine
plan of the world. In most lucid manner Beza shows in tabular form the
connection of the religious views which emanated from thin fundamental
supralapsarian mode of thought. This he added to his highly instructive
treatise Summa totius Christianismi.
Beza's Greek New Testament
Of no less importance are the contributions of Beza
to Biblical science. In 1565 he issued an edition of the Greek New Testament,
accompanied in parallel columns by the text of the Vulgate and a translation of
his own (already published as early as 1556). Annotations were added, also
previously published, but now he greatly enriched and enlarged them. In the
preparation of this edition of the Greek text, but much more in the preparation
of the second edition which he brought out in 1582, Beza may have availed
himself of the help of two very valuable manuscripts. One is known as the Codex
Bezæ or Cantabrigensis, and was later presented by Beza to the University
of Cambridge; the second is the Codex Claromontanus, which Beza had found in
Clermont (now in the National Library at Paris). It was not, however, to these
sources that Beza was chiefly indebted, but rather to the previous edition of
the eminent Robert Stephens (1550), itself based in great measure upon one of
the later editions of Erasmus. Beza's labors in this direction were exceedingly
helpful to those who came after. The same thing may be asserted with equal
truth of his Latin version and of the copious notes with which it was
accompanied. The former is said to have been published over a hundred times.
The author's view of the doctrine of predestination is heavily evidenced within
the interpretation. There is no question that Beza added much to a clear
understanding of the New Testament.
Eugène Choisy |
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