Theodore Beza

Theodore Beza (Theodore de Beze or de Besze) (June 24, 1519 - October 13, 1605) was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the early Reformation. He was closely associated with Calvinism. He lived most of his adult life in Switzerland.

Events of 1560-63

In the mean time things took such shape in

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France that the happiest future for Protestantism

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seemed possible. King Antony of Navarre, yielding

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to the urgent requests of Evangelical noblemen,

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declared his willingness to listen to a prominent

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teacher of the Church. Beza, a French nobleman

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and head of the academy in the metropolis of French

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Protestantism, was invited to Castle Nerac, but he

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could not plant the seed of Evangelical faith in the

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heart of the king.

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In the year following (1561)

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Beza represented the Evangelicals at the

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Colloquy of Poissy, and in an eloquent manner defended

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the principles of the Evangelical faith.

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The colloquy was without result,

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but Beza as the head and advocate of

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all Reformed congregations of France

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was revered and hated at the same time. The

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queen insisted upon another colloquy, which was

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opened at St. Germain Jan. 28, 1562, eleven days

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after the proclamation of the famous January edict

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which granted important privileges to those of the

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Reformed faith. But the colloquy was broken off

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when it became evident that the Catholic party

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was preparing (after the massacre of Vassy, Mar. 1)

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to overthrow Protestantism.

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Beza hastily issued a

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circular letter (Mar. 25) to all Reformed congregations

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of the empire, and with Conde and his troops

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went to Orleans. It was necessary to proceed

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quickly and energetically. But there were neither

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soldiers nor money. At the request of Conde, Beza

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visited all Huguenot cities to obtain both. He also

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wrote a manifesto in which he showed the justice of

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the Reformed cause. As one of the messengers to

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collect soldiers and money among his coreligionists,

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Beza was appointed to visit England, Germany,

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and Switzerland. He went to Strasburg and Basel,

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but met with failure. He then returned to Geneva,

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which he reached Sept. 4. He had hardly been

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there fourteen days when he was called once more

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to Orleans by D'Andelot. The campaign was

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becoming more successful; but the publication of the

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unfortunate edict of pacification which Conde

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accepted (Mar. 12,1563) filled Beza and all

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Protestant France with horror.

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