Greetings:

Yesterday was Saint Bartholomew's Day. Four hundred thirty-five years ago, on August 24, 1572, the famous Massacre occurred, in which thousands of Huguenots (French Calvinistic Protestants) were murdered by Papists, under the auspices of the French government. Over the next several weeks, tens of thousands were murdered throughout France, perhaps as many as 100,000.

Grace and Peace,

-CH

__________________
In Essentials Unity, in non-Essentials Liberty, in all things Charity.

Robert Paul Wieland
Springs Reformed Presbyterian Church
Colorado Springs, CO RPCNA
Student at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh PA
B.B. Warfield's definition of Theological Students: "Angels preparing to sound the Trumpets."

Robert,

Thanks for this important reminder.

This week-long slaughter devastated the French Reformed Church and it never recovered.

Whenever people start to talk about "triumphal Calvinism" or Calvin's (non-existent) tyranny in Geneva etc ask them if they've ever heard of St Bartholomew's Day.

Everyone "knows" that Calvin "executed" Servetus but does anyone remember the murder of 50,000 French Reformed Christians?

rsc

ps. Probably the 100,000 figure is inflated. It's hard to know but most scholars today use more conservative numbers. Still, even 50,000 people would be considered a form of religious genocide.

__________________
R. Scott Clark, D.Phil
Professor of Church History and Historical Theology

"For Christ, His Gospel, and His Church"
Associate Pastor
Oceanside URC
The Heidelblog