Ferenc Dávid

Ferenc Dávid (1510 – November 15, 1579) was the founder of the Unitarian Church in Transylvania.

Related Topics:
1510 - November 15 - 1579 - Unitarian Church - Transylvania

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Ferenc Dávid (also known as Francis David) was born in Kolozsvár around 1510. After studying in Wittenberg and Frankfurt, he was elected Calvinist bishop of the Hungarian churches in Transylvania, and appointed court preacher to John Sigismund, prince of Transylvania. His discussion of the Trinity began in 1565 with doubts of the personality of the Holy Ghost.

Related Topics:
Kolozsvár - Wittenberg - Frankfurt - Calvinist - John Sigismund - Trinity - 1565 - Holy Ghost

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His antagonist in public disputations was the Calvinist leader, Péter Juhász (Melius); his supporter was Giorgio Blandrata. John Sigismund, adopting his court-preacher's views, issued (1568) an edict of religious liberty at the Torda Diet, which allowed David (retaining his existing title) to transfer his episcopate from the Calvinists to the anti-Trinitarians, Cluj being evacuated by all but his followers.

Related Topics:
Péter Juhász - Giorgio Blandrata - Torda Diet - Cluj

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In 1571 John Sigismund was succeeded by Stephen Báthory, a Catholic, and trouble began. Under the influence of Johannes Sommer, rector of the Kolozsvár gymnasium, Dávid (about 1572) abandoned the worship of Christ. The attempted accommodation by Faustus Socinus after Blandrata's request was unsuccessful. Tried as an innovator, Dávid died in prison at Déva in 1579.

Related Topics:
1571 - Stephen Báthory - Johannes Sommer - Kolozsvár - Faustus Socinus - Déva - 1579

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