Michael Servetus

Michael Servetus (29 September, 1511 – 27 October, 1553), (Miguel Servet or, as it was originally, Serveto in Spanish) was a theologian, physician and humanist. His interests included many sciences: astronomy and meteorology; geography, jurisprudence, study of the Bible, mathematics, anatomy and medicine. He is renowned in the history of several of these fields, particularly medicine and theology.

Modern relevance

Due to his theological beliefs and eventual execution by burning for heresy, he is regarded by modern Unitarian Universalists as the first Unitarian martyr. Many historians question how closely his ideas really fit modern Unitarian Universalism. A few scholars insist he had more in common with Sabellianism or Arianism or that he even had a theology unique to himself. Nevertheless Unitarian Universalist churches and societies named after him exist in the United States.

Related Topics:
Burning - Heresy - Unitarian Universalists - Unitarian - Martyr - Sabellianism - Arianism - United States

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Servetus was the first European to describe pulmonary circulation, although it was not widely recognized at the time, for a few reasons. One was that the description appeared in a theological treatise, Christianismi Restitutio, not in a book on medicine. Further, most copies of the book were burned shortly after its publication in 1553. Three copies survived, but these remained hidden for decades. It was not until William Harvey's dissections in 1616 that the function of pulmonary circulation was widely accepted by physicians.

Related Topics:
Pulmonary circulation - 1553 - William Harvey - 1616

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