Theodore Beza (Theodore de Beze or de Besze) (June 24, 1519 - October 13, 1605) was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the early Reformation. He was a disciple of John Calvin and lived most of his life in Switzerland.

Early Life

Theodore Beza was born at Vezelay (8 miles west-south-west of Avallon), in Burgundy. His father, Pierre de Beze, royal governor of Vezelay, descended from a Burgundian family of distinction; his mother, Marie Bourdelot, was known for her generosity. Beza's father had two brothers; Nicholas, who was member of Parliament at Paris; and Claude, who was abbot of the Cistercian monastery Froimont in the diocese of Beauvais. Nicholas, who was unmarried, during a visit to Vezelay was so pleased with Theodore that, with the permission of their parents, he took him to Paris to educate him there. From Paris, Theodore was sent to Orleans in December 1528 to enjoy the instruction of the famous German teacher Melchior Wolmar. He was received into Wolmar's house, and the day on which this took place was afterward celebrated as a second birthday.

Young Beza soon followed his teacher to Bourges,whither the latter was called by the duchess Margaret of Angoulême, sister of Francis I. Bourgeswas one of the places in France in which the heartof the Reformation movement beat the strongest. When, in1534, Francis I issued his edict against ecclesiastical innovations, Wolmar returned to Germany,and, in accordance with the wish of his father,Beza went back to Orleans to study law, and spentfour years there (1535-39). This pursuit had little attraction for him; he enjoyed more the reading ofthe ancient classics, especially Ovid, Catullus, andTibullus. He received the degree of licentiate inlaw August 11, 1539, and, as his father desired, wentto Paris, where he began practise. His relativeshad obtained for him two benefices, the proceedsof which amounted to 700 golden crowns a year; andhis uncle had promised to make him his successor.

Beza spent two happy years at Paris and soongained a prominent position in literary circles. Toescape the many temptations to which he wasexposed, with the knowledge of two friends, hebecame engaged in the year 1544 to a young girlof humble descent, Claudine Denoese, promising tomake this engagement public as soon as his circumstances would allow it. He published a collectionof Latin poems, Juvenilia, which made him famous,and he was everywhere considered one of the best writers ofLatin poetry of his time.

But he fell ill and hisdistress of body, it is reported, revealed to him his spiritual needs.Gradually he came to the knowledge of salvation inChrist, which he apprehended with a joyous faith.He then resolved to sever his connections of thetime, and went to Geneva, the French city ofrefuge for Evangelicals (adherents of the Reformation movement), where he arrived with Claudine on October 23, 1548.

Teacher at Lausanne

He was heartily received by John Calvin, who hadmet him already in Wolmar's house, and was atonce publicly and solemnly married in the church.Beza was at a loss for immediate occupation, sohe went to Tübingen to see his former teacherWolmar. On his way home he visited Viretat Lausanne, who at once detainedhim and brought about his appointment as professor of Greek at theacademy there (Nov., 1549).

In spiteof the arduous work which fell to his lot, Bezafound time to write a Biblical drama, AbrahamSacrifiant (published at Geneva, 1550; Eng.transl. by Arthur Golding, London, 1577, ed.,with introduction, notes, and the French text ofthe original, M. W. Wallace, Toronto, 1906), inwhich he contrasted Catholicism with Protestantism, and the work was well received. In June,1551, he added a few psalms to the French versionof the Psalms begun by Marot, which was also verysuccessful.

About the same time he published hisPassavantius, a satire directed against Pierre Lizet ofill repute, formerly president of the Parliament ofParis, and principal originator of the "fiery chamber" (chambre ardente), who, being at the time(1551) abbot of St. Victor near Paris, was eagerto acquire the fame of a subduer of heresy by publishing a number of polemical writings.

Of a moreserious character were two controversies in whichBeza was involved

Journeys in behalf of the Protestants

In 1557 Beza took a special interest in the Waldensians of Piedmont, who were harassed by the French government, and in their behalf went with Farel to Bern, Zurich, Basel, Schaffhausen, thence to Strasburg, Mumpelgart, Baden, and Goppingen. In Baden and Goppingen, Beza and Farel had to declare themselves concerning their own and the Waldensians' views on the sacrament, and on May 14, 1557, they presented a written declaration is which they clearly stated their position. This declaration was well received by the Lutheran theologians, but was strongly disapproved in Bern and Zurich.

In the autumn of 1557 Beza undertook a second journey with Farel to Worms by way of Strasburg to bring about an intercession of the Evangelical princes of the empire in favor of the persecuted brethren at Paris. With Melanchthon and other theologians then assembled at Worms, Beza considered a union of all Protestant Christians, but this proposal was decidedly negatived by Zurich and Bern. False reports having reached the German princes that the hostilities against the Huguenots in France had ceased, no embassy was sent to the court of France, and Beza undertook another journey in the interest of the Huguenots, going with Farel, Johannes Buddaeus, and Gaspard Carmel to Strasburg and Frankfort, where the sending of an embassy to Paris was resolved upon.

Settles in Geneva

Upon his return to Lausanne, Beza was greatly disturbed. In union with many ministers and professors in city and country, Viret at last thought of establishing a consistory and of introducing a church discipline which should inflict excommunication especially at the celebration of the communion. But the Bernese would have no Calvinistic church government. This caused many difficulties, and Beza thought it best (1558) to settle at Geneva.

Here he occupied at first the chair of Greek in the newly established academy, and after Calvin's death also that of theology; besides this he was obliged to preach. He completed the revision of Olivetan's translation of the New Testament, begun some years before. In 1559 he undertook another journey in the interest of the Huguenots, this time to Heidelberg; about the same time he had to defend Calvin against Joachim Westphal in Hamburg and Tileman Hesshusen.

More important than this polemical activity was Beza's statement of his own confession. Itwas originally prepared for his father in justification of his course and published in revised formto promote Evangelical knowledge among Beza'scountrymen. It was printed in Latin in 1560 witha dedication to Wolmar. An English translationwas published at London 1563, 1572, and 1585.Translations into German, Dutch, and Italianwere also issued.

Events of 1560-63

In the mean time things took such shape inFrance that the happiest future for Protestantismseemed possible. King Antony of Navarre, yielding to the urgent requests of Evangelical noblemen,declared his willingness to listen to a prominentteacher of the Church. Beza, a French noblemanand head of the academy in the metropolis of FrenchProtestantism, was invited to Castle Nerac, but hecould not plant the seed of Evangelical faith in theheart of the king.

In the year following (1561)Beza represented the Evangelicals at the Colloquy of Poissy, and in an eloquent manner defendedthe principles of the Evangelical faith.The colloquy was without result,but Beza as the head and advocate ofall Reformed congregations of Francewas revered and hated at the same time. Thequeen insisted upon another colloquy, which wasopened at St. Germain Jan. 28, 1562, eleven daysafter the proclamation of the famous January edictwhich granted important privileges to those of theReformed faith. But the colloquy was broken offwhen it became evident that the Catholic partywas preparing (after the massacre of Vassy, Mar. 1)to overthrow Protestantism.

Beza hastily issued acircular letter (Mar. 25) to all Reformed congregations of the empire, and with Conde and his troopswent to Orleans. It was necessary to proceedquickly and energetically. But there were neithersoldiers nor money. At the request of Conde, Bezavisited all Huguenot cities to obtain both. He alsowrote a manifesto in which he argued the justice ofthe Reformed cause. As one of the messengers tocollect soldiers and money among his coreligionists,Beza was appointed to visit England, Germany,and Switzerland. He went to Strasburg and Basel,but met with failure. He then returned to Geneva,which he reached Sept. 4. He had hardly beenthere fourteen days when he was called once moreto Orleans by D'Andelot. The campaign was becoming more successful; but the publication of theunfortunate edict of pacification which Condeaccepted (Mar. 12,1563) filled Beza and all Protestant France with horror.

Calvin's Successor

For twenty-two months Beza had been absentfrom Geneva, and the interests of school and Churchthere and especially the condition of Calvin madeit necessary for him to return. For there was noone to take the place of Calvin, who was

Until 1580 Beza wasnot only moderateur de la compagniedes pasteurs, but also the real soul of the greatinstitution of learning at Geneva which Calvin hadfounded in 1559, consisting of a gymnasium andan academy. As long as be lived, Beza was interested in higher education. The Protestant youthfor nearly forty years thronged his lecture-room tohear his theological lectures, in which he expoundedthe purest Calvinistic orthodoxy. As a counselorhe was listened to by both magistrates and pastors.Geneva is indebted to him for the founding of alaw school in which Francois Hotman, Jules Pacius,and Denys Godefroy, the most eminent jurists ofthe century, lectured in turn (cf. Charles Borgeaud,L'Academie de Calvin, Geneva, 1900).

Course of Events after 1564

As Calvin's successor, Beza was very successful, not only in carrying on his work but also in giving peace to the Church at Geneva. The magistrates had fully appropriated the ideas of Calvin, and the direction of spiritual affairs, the organs of which were the "ministers of the word" and "the consistory," was founded on a solid basis. No doctrinal controversy arose after 1564. The discussions concerned questions of a practical, social, or ecclesiastical nature, such as the supremacy of the magistrates over the pastors, freedom in preaching, and the obligation of the pastors to submit to the majority of the campagnie des pasteurs.

Beza obtruded his will in no way upon his associates, and took no harsh measures against injudicious or hot-headed colleagues, though sometimes he took their cases in hand and acted as mediator; and yet he often experienced an opposition so extreme that he threatened to resign. Although he was inclined to take the part of the magistrates, he knew how to defend the rights and independence of the spiritual power when occasion arose, without, however, conceding to it such a preponderating influence as did Calvin.

His activity was great. He mediated between the compagnie and the magistracy; the latter continually asked his advice even in political questions. He corresponded with all the leaders of the Reformed party in Europe. After the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572), he used his influence to give to the refugees a hospitable reception at Geneva.

In 1574 he wrote his De jure magistratuum (Right of Magistrates), in which he emphatically protested against tyranny in religious matters, and affirmed that it is legitimate for a people to oppose an unworthy magistracy in a practical manner and if necessary to use weapons and depose them.

To sum up: Without being a great dogmatician like his master, nor a creative genius in the ecclesiastical realm, Beza had qualities which made him famous as humanist, exegete, orator, and leader in religious and political affairs, and qualified him to be the guide of the Calvinists in all Europe. In the various controversies into which he was drawn, Beza often showed an excess of irritation and intolerance, from which Bernardino Ochino, pastor of the Italian congregation at Zurich (on account of a treatise which contained some objectionable points on polygamy), and Sebastian Castellio at Basel (on account of his Latin and French translations of the Bible) had especially to suffer.

With Reformed France Beza continued to maintain the closest relations. He was the moderator of the general synod which met in April, 1571, at La Rochelle and decided not to abolish church discipline or to acknowledge the civil government as head of the Church, as the Paris minister Jean Morel and the philosopher Pierre Ramus demanded; it also decided to confirm anew the Calvinistic doctrine of the Lord's Supper (by the expression: "substance of the body of Christ") against Zwinglianism, which caused a very unpleasant discussion between Beza and Ramus and Bullinger.

In the following year (May, 1572) he took an important part in the national synod at Nimes. He was also interested in the controversies which concerned the Augsburg Confession in Germany, especially after 1564, on the doctrine of the person of Christ and the sacrament, and published several works against Westphal, Hesshusen, Selnecker, Johann Brenz, and Jakob Andrea. This made him, especially after 1571, hated by all those who adhered to Lutheranism in opposition to Melanchthon.

The Colloquy of Mumpelgart

The last polemical conflict of importance Bezaencountered from the exclusive Lutherans was atthe Colloquy of Mumpelgart, Mar. 14-27,1586, to which he had been invited by the LutheranCount Frederick of Württemberg at the wish of theFrench noblemen who had fled to Mumpelgart.As a matter of course the intended union whichwas the purpose of the colloquy was not broughtabout; nevertheless it called forth serious developments within the Reformed Church.

When the edition of the acts of the colloquy, as prepared by Jakob Andrea, was published, Samuel Huber, ofBurg near Bern, who belonged to theLutheranizing faction of the Swissclergy, took so great offense at thesupralapsarian doctrine of predestination propounded at Mumpelgartby Beza and Musculus that he feltit to be his duty to denounce Musculus to themagistrates of Bern as an innovator in doctrine.To adjust the matter, the magistrates arranged acolloquy between Huber and Musculus (Sept. 2,1587), in which the former represented the universalism, the latter the particularism, of grace.

As the colloquy was resultless, a debate was arranged at Bern, Apr. 15-18, 1588, at which thedefense of the accepted system of doctrine wasat the start put into Beza's hands. The threedelegates of the Helvetic cantons who presided atthe debate declared in the end that Beza hadsubstantiated the teaching propounded at Mumpelgart as the orthodox one, and Huber was dismissed from his office.

Last Days

After that time Beza's activity was confinedmore and more to the affairs of his home. Hisfaithful wife Claudine had died childless in 1588,a few days before he went to the Bern Disputation.Forty years they had lived happilytogether. He contracted, on the advice of his friends, a second marriagewith Catharina del Piano, a Genoesewidow, in order to have a helpmate in his decliningyears. Up to his sixty-fifth year he enjoyed excellent health, but after that a gradual sinkingof his vitality became perceptible. He was activein teaching till Jan., 1597.

The saddest experiencein his old days was the conversion of King Henry IVto Catholicism, in spite of his most earnestexhortations (1593). Strange to say, in 1596 thereport was spread by the Jesuits in Germany,France, England, and Italy that Beza and theChurch of Geneva had returned into the bosom ofRome, and Beza replied in a satire that revealedthe possession still of his old fire of thought andvigor of expression.

He died in Geneva. He was not buried, likeCalvin, in the general cemetery, Plain-Palais (forthe Savoyards had threatened to abduct his bodyto Rome), but at the direction of the magistrates,in the monastery of St. Pierre.

Humanistic and Historical Writings

In Beza's literary activity as well as in his life,distinction must be made between the period of thehumanist (which ended with the publication of hisJuvenilia) and that of the ecclesiastic. But laterproductions like the humanistic, biting,satirical Passavantius and his Complainte de Messire Pierre Lizet . . .prove that in later years he occasionally went back to his first love. Inhis old age he published his Catocensorius (1591), and revised his Poemata, fromwhich he purged juvenile eccentricities.

Of hishistoriographical works, aside from his Icones (1580),which have only an iconographical value, mentionmay be made of the famous Histoire ecclesiastiquedes Eglises reformes au Royaume de France (1580),and his biography of Calvin, with which must benamed his edition of Calvin's Epistolae et responsa(1575).

Theological Works

But all these humanistic and historical studiesire surpassed by his theological productions (contained in Tractationes theologicae). In these Bezaappears the perfect pupil or the alterego of Calvin. His view of life isdeterministic and the basis of hisreligious thinking is the predestinaterecognition of the necessity of all temporal existence as an effect of the absolute,eternal, and immutable will of God, so that eventhe fall of the human race appears to him essentialto the divine plan of the world. In most lucidmanner Beza shows in tabular form the connectionof the religious views which emanated from thinfundamental supralapsarian mode of thought.This he added to his highly instructive treatiseSumma totius Christianismi.

Beza's Greek New Testament

Of no less importance are the contributions ofBeza to Biblical science. In 1565 he issued anedition of the Greek New Testament, accompaniedin parallel columns by the text of the Vulgate and atranslation of his own (already published as earlyas 1556). Annotations were added, also previously published, but now he greatly enriched andenlarged them.

In the preparation ofthis edition of the Greek text, but muchmore in the preparation of the secondedition which he brought out in 1582,Beza may have availed himself of thehelp of two very valuable manuscripts. One isknown as the Codex Bezae or Cantabrigensis, andwas later presented by Beza to the University ofCambridge; the second is the Codex Claromontanus,which Beza had found in Clermont (now in theNational Library at Paris).

It was not, however,to these sources that Beza was chiefly indebted,but rather to the previous edition of the eminentRobert Estienne (1550), itself based in great measureupon one of the later editions of Erasmus.Beza's labors in this direction were exceedinglyhelpful to those who came after. The same thingmay be asserted with equal truth of his Latinversion and of the copious notes with which it wasaccompanied. The former is said to have beenpublished over a hundred times.

Although some lament that Beza's view of the doctrine of predestination exercised too preponderating an influence upon his interpretation of the Scriptures, there is no question that he added much to a clear understanding of the New Testament.

This article includes content derived from the public domain Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1914. Théodore de Bèze Teodoro BEZA Théodore de Bèze Theodorus Beza