Thursday, October 23, 2014

When cousins argue

It is 1500s France. Pierre-Robert Olivetan is translating the BIble into French, from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. He gets into a debate with his cousin, a highly-educated young lawyer called Jean:

'.... "There are but two religions in the world," we hear Olivetan saying. "The one class of religions are those which men have invented, in all of which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works; the other is that one religion which is revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of God."

"I will have none of your new doctrines," Jean sharply rejoins; "think you that I have lived in error all my days?" ...'

Jean Calvin of Noyon was soon after brought to realise that Pierre was absolutely right.

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