THEODORE BEZA
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Theodore Beza was born the seventh child of Pierre de Besze and Marie Bourdelot
who lived in castle at Vezelay in France on 24 June 1519.
This was the same village where Louis VII of France made a vow in 1146 to become
a Crusader as did Richard the Lionheart in 1190.
Taken to Paris in 1528 by his uncle Nicholas, Theordore so impressed some nobility
present that it was recommended that he be educated by Melchior Wolmar – the
tutor of John Calvin – who lived at Orleans.
His uncle Claudius was the Abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Froimont in
Beauvais, and was supervising Theodore’s education after the death of his uncle
Nicholas.
Claudius and Theodore’s father had planned a career in law for Theodore and
certainly would not have approved the “new” views of Luther being taught by
Wolmar.
Then he was sent to the University of Orleans and graduated with the degree of
Licentiate of Law on 11 August 1539.
Beza came to Paris and was allowed to pursue literary studies there with the
supervision of Claudius.
In 1544 with two friends as witnesses, Beza entered into a recognised relationship
with Claudine Denosse, promising to marry when circumstances were right.
They were faithful to each other for the next forty years.
In 1548 he published a collection of his Latin poems, “Juvenilia”, dedicating the book
to Melchior Wolmar.
In later years his critics accused him of loose and lascivious living because of his
poems, assuming he had been involved in such living.
Taking Claudine with him, Beza travelled to Geneva on 23 October 1548. One of
the witnesses to his secret promise to Claudine lived in Geneva at the time.
Immediately after greet John Calvin, Beza married Claudine in the church.
He became the professor of Greek in the Academy at Lausanne 6 November 1549,
and would give public lectures on the Books of Romans and Peter.
In 1551 he fell sick with the plague, and Calvin was concerned for him.
In 1557 Beza together with William Farel visited throughout Switzerland and with the
Protestant princes of Germany on behalf of the Waldenses suffering persecution.
Likewise Beza tried to get the Protestant princes of Europe to assist French
Protestants thrown into jail in 1557 for celebrating the Lord’s Supper in Paris.
In 1558 he moved to Geneva to be close to Calvin and to be the Greek professor at
a newly established high school there.
Beza was acclaimed as a powerful orator for the Protestant cause.
He was the speaker for the Protestant cause at the Colloquy of Poissy not far from
Paris – the subject of dispute – transubstantiation.
He was present in January 1562 when French Protestants were given a limited
permission to exercise their faith.
In defending Protestants after a massacre at Vassy, said, “It is in truth the lot of the
Church of God…to endure many blows, and not to strike them. But …it is an anvil
that has worn out many hammers.
Beza was sent by the Prince of Condé to the leader of Germany and Switzerland
seeking support for the French Protestants, of whom Beza was seen as the leader.
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The assassin of the Duke of Guise on 18 February 1563 alleged that Beza had
promised him Pradise and a high place – afterward denied.
On Calvin’s death, Beza was elected as his successor by the Geneva City Council.
Under Beza, Geneva became the capital of Continental Protestantism.
He attended the Synod of the Reformed Church of France in 1571 at La Rochelle.
Some eight years after the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, Beza wrote a letter of
reproof to King Henry of Navarre.
In 1588 he mourned heavily the loss of his wife Claudine.
In 1597, Rome had sent François de Sales to Geneva to convert Beza to
Catholicism. Failing to achieve this with words, he offered a persion of 4000 gold
crowns, but Beza replied, “Go, sir; I am too old and too deaf to be able to hear such
words”.
In 1599 Beza was the envoy of Geneva to King Henry – now a Roman Catholic.
He died on 13 October 1605 and though he wished to be buried in the Plan Palais
cemetery near Calvin was buried in the cloister of the Cathedral in Geneva.
So ended a strict Calvinist, and a high-born gentleman, who could meet kings and
princes and who had the classical learning of one the great scholars of his age.
His book “Life of Calvin” was one of the best of any contemporary biographies of any
of the reformers.
His place on the Reformation Wall in Geneva was truly earned.