WILLIAM FAREL
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William Farel was born in southeastern France at Gap in Dauphine in 1489
In French he is known as Guilliame Farel
At the University of Paris he met Jaques Lefèvre d’Etaples who gave him a love of
the Scriptures and the belief of Justification by Faith
He graduated from the University in 1509
He went with Lefèvre to the city of Meaux in 1520 to bring reform there and was part
of the evangelistic group
He was banished from France in 1522 and went to Switzerland preaching the
reformed message and opposing that of Rome
In 1523 he left the Catholic Church and went to Basle
From Basle he left for frequent evangelistic campaigns to many places in Switzerland
and France, from Metz to Neuchâtel and Geneva.
In 1525 he wrote his “Summary’ which was a summary of doctrinal beliefs supported
by the Bible
He was a fearless leader and was responsible for the message of the Reformation to
be heard in Geneva from 1532 to 1535
He vividly charged John Calvin to stay at his post of duty in Geneva.
He first came to Neuchâtel in November 1529
In later life he spent his last 27 years as pastor at Neuchâtel and fearlessly preached
the gospel there from 1541 – 1565 even though the opposition was fierce
He became a leader and planter of Protestant churches throughout the French
speaking areas of Switzerland – even giving them a liturgy
He journeyed to Chanforan in 1532 to the Waldensian Synod and was responsible to
a large degree in having the Waldensians join the Reformation – and provide a
French translation of the Scriptures – translated by Olivetan, which was the first
French Protestant translation
This Bible was printed in 1535 and is known as the Bible of Olivetan
Farel was a firebrand, a man of action, and an eloquent preacher. A deeply fervent
person noted for his piety and an unshakeable faith in God and the Scriptures
His theology was not that of an original theologian but eclectic, taking the beliefs of
Zwingli and to a large extent Calvin
Farel wrote prolifically, and brought a book publisher – Pierre de Vingle - to
Neuchâtel. Here between 1533 and 1535 over 20 books were published and
circulated widely across Europe
Farel’s statue at the Collegiale church in Neuchâtel with an open Bible is a summary
of his Scriptural, fearless and practical preaching during his life
Farel is featured as one of the four main figures of the Reformation in Switzerland
and is featured on the Reformation Wall in Geneva