Jesus' Words Only

Did Calvin Murder Servetus?

Did Calvin Murder Servitus? We recommend this book because it makes us focus on Jesus by proving one of the icons of the Reformation was quite human. This book examines the conflict between Calvin and Michael Servetus, a medical doctor and Christian who challenged the doctrine of the trinity while maintaining Jesus' divinity. Servetus published his view that Jesus' divinity derived solely from being the Word, and not from His status as the "eternal" Son of God. John Calvin filed a criminal complaint against Servetus as a heretic for this view and for Servetus dissent from infant baptism. Calvin then had Servetus tried and put to death. The author, Mr. Rives, a practicing attorney and Christian, thoroughly examines the case and concludes that John Calvin deliberately murdered Servetus contrary to his own principles of tolerance of heretics as well as the prevailing laws at Geneva. Rives concludes that Calvin took offense at Servetus' view in 1546 that Calvin had a "doctrine of demons" for believing an infant becomes a member of the New Covenant by baptism. Calvin's revenge was to have Servetus killed for points of doctrine when Calvin himself previously said killing heretics was un-Christian and violates Scripture. If you wish to see Mr. Rives's website, go here. To email him, you can reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .