MICHAEL SERVETUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 2 (Supplement)

MICHAEL SERVETUS.

REVIEW OF HIS THEOLOGY,

(By S.) Some weeks ago two articles oil Calvin appeared in another column. In one of them reference was made to Miguel Serveto, or Michael Servetus, as ho Latinised his name, and to Calvin's sliaro in his death. Servetus was not a great man like Calvin, but, like Calvin, he has had both his apologists and his critics. Among the former is Carl Theophilus Odhner, professor of church history in the Academy of the New (Swedenborgian) Church at Bryn Atliyn, Pa., who 25 years ago published a book on Servetus and his teachings. I have just been reading this book, it is divided into two parts. The first part deals with Servetus and Calvin and the second with the theological views of Servetus. Regarding the first part, unbiased students of the period will regard Mr. Odhners references .to Calvin as prejudiced and unnecessarily caustic and his strictures 011 him as unfair. And they will not accept the charges he details against him as coming from altogether trustworthy sources. He insists on Calvin's responsibility for the death of Servetus by burning, but there are competent writers who are not so sure. Alexander Gordon, for example, who was lecturer on church history in the University of Manchester, says in his article on Servetus in the Encyclopedia Britannica that lie would have had him beheaded. Ho also speaks of slanders about Servetus as having been "originally invented" by Calvin. No oi:;> who has any acquaintance with the writings of Calvin will believe him cap; - hie of inventing slanders against Servetus or anyone else. Mr. Odliner's chief purpose, however, in publishing his little book was to give a systematic review of the theology of Servetus, which bears a resemblance to tho teachings of the New Church. And that 'is what lie does, and does well, in the second part of the book, though he must have found the task far from easy. But, as in his quotation from Servetus oh the doctrine of tho Trinity, he makes clear that Servetus was somewhat astray in his understanding of the reformed theology. I havo space only for these brief quotations from his practical teaching:— "Faith and charity aro brother and sister. . . To love Christ is better than to believe. . . Charity is the greatest of all the virtues (that was Paul's teaching). . . Charity and faith arc inseparable companions. . . Charity makes us more similar to God, because God is charity itself. . .. Charity brings efficacy to faith."