Heretic or Hero?

Written by Matthew Shaw

Throughout history, the light of Godly truth has always existed,
sometimes
as a great flame but often reduced to a flicker beneath the suffocating
traditions of men. But, God has always raised up great men and women
dedicated to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. One such man was Michael
Servetus, a 16th century Spanish scholar and theologian.

As a young man, Servetus studied law at the University of Toulouse and
discovered the Bible. Raised as a Catholic in Spain, Servetus had never
had
the opportunity to examine the scriptures for himself. Now, what he
discovered in God's Word caused him to question the doctrines he had been
taught all his life. Through much prayer and study, Servetus concluded,
at
the age of twenty, that there is no Trinity and denounced the infamous
Council of Nicea, where the doctrine had been formulated by the Roman
Catholic Church in the fourth century.

Unlike many other anti-trinitarians, Servetus did not deny the Trinity by
discounting the deity of Christ; but he understood that there is one
eternal
God who took on flesh as the Son, reconciling the world unto himself and
abiding in His people as the Holy Ghost. Servetus believed he had
received a
divine revelation that he was commissioned to share.

At age 22, Servetus published a major thesis entitled On the Errors of the Trinity, consisting of 7 books examining scripture after scripture, maintaining the oneness of God and reducing the Trinity to tritheism. He writes: "they [philosophers] have contrived an imaginary Trinity, three beings in one Nature. But in reality three beings, three Gods..."
(Servetus 34) He also contended that the Trinity violated Jewish monotheism and "arose
out of Greek philosophy rather than the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be with the Church only if it keeps His teachings." (Servetus 3)

Servetus took this new revelation to the major reformers of his day, believing they had not gone far enough in separating themselves from Catholic dogma. His expectations of joyful reception were shattered, however, as one by one, Protestants denounced him as a heretic. He was forced to become a refugee, assuming the alias of Michael Reves, in order to escape persecution. Servetus wondered about Europe until he was finally accused of heresy and arrested in Geneva for anti-trinitarianism and Anabaptism (he rejected infant baptism) by the orders of John Calvin, the Swiss reformer who was to become Servetus's archenemy.

A long trial ensued with Calvin presiding as a judge. Despite lengthy interrogations, Servetus maintained his theological convictions. Calvin persuaded the court, however, point by point that Servetus was guilty of religious subversion.

As the trial dragged on, Servetus suffered in the poorest of prison conditions. He was chained in manacles and granted no comforts or facilities. He wrote in appeal: "Fleas are devouring me; my shoes are torn to pieces; I have nothing to wear... It is abominably cruel that I should be given no chance of attending my bodily needs. " (rptd. Zwieg 124) In
these conditions, he suffered and became more despicable in the eyes of the court in ragged clothes and tangled beard.

Finally, under Calvin's tyrannical influence, the court condemned Michael Servetus to be burned alive at the stake with a slow fire. The sentence was read to Servetus in his cell, and he was offered a lighter sentence to recant and acknowledge the Trinity. This emaciated man, sickened by inhuman imprisonment and facing the agony of such an execution, refused to compromise. In true Christian humility, he asked to meet with his accuser and asked the forgiveness of his enemy for any wrong or hurtful things he may have said about Calvin.

On October 27, 1553, Servetus was dragged to the stake of execution. And,as the Apostle Stephen prayed, so Servetus prayed that God would be merciful to his accuser. At the foot of the stake, he was given one final opportunity to compromise, but he answered: "What else can I do but call on God?" With a crown of leaves soaked with sulfur, Servetus was burned alive; through the flames, he cried his final words, "Jesus, Son of the everlasting God, have pity on me!" (Zwieg 134-6)

His commitment is a paradigm of Christian dedication. This great martyr was faithful unto death, loving not his life and refusing to compromise the truth for a lie. In his suffering and commitment to the very doctrine we hold so precious to our own faith, may we appreciate the sacrifices made by holy men and women and continue unwaveringly in the love of the Truth and the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Friedman, Jerome. Michael Servetus: A Case Study in Total Heresy.
Librairie Droz S.A., Geneva. 1978.

Servetus, Michael. On the Errors of the Trinity. Earl Morse Wilbure, D.D.,
translator and ed. Harvard Theological Studies XVI. 1932.

Zwieg, Stefan. The Right to Heresy. New York: Viking Press. 1936.

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.
The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16