The tale of John Calvin (Jehan Cauvin) and Michael Servetus (Miguel Serveto) is pretty well-known among Christians and non-Christians alike. Controversy still swirls around the incident, with many critics of Calvinism claiming John Calvin murdered Servetus, while some Calvinists deny this charge, claim it was the State that executed him, or even argue heretics deserve death – while others in the Reformed Churches recognize the execution was unjust. In fact, in 1903 a committee from the Reformed Churches set up a granite monument to Servetus at the place of his death, stating:

“Respectful and grateful sons of Calvin, our great Reformer, but condemning an error which belonged to his century and firm believers in freedom of conscience according to the true principles of the Reformation and the Gospel, we have raised this expiatory monument.”

But not all Calvinists are convicted thusly, as many call for Theonomy and a State run by the Church, with a desire to follow Calvin’s strict totalitarian example.

7 Years Before the Execution, Calvin wrote:
“If he [Servetus] comes [to Geneva], I shall never let him go out alive if my authority has weight.”

During the Incident, Calvin wrote:
“We have now new business in hand with Servetus. He intended perhaps passing through this city; for it is not yet known with what design he came. But after he had been recognized, I thought that he should be detained. My friend Nicolas summoned him on a capital charge. I hope that sentence of death will at least be passed upon him”

After the Execution:
“Many people have accused me of such ferocious cruelty that (they allege) I would like to kill again the man I have destroyed. Not only am I indifferent to their comments, but I rejoice in the fact that they spit in my face.”

“Whoever shall now contend that it is unjust to put heretics and blasphemers to death will knowingly and willingly incur their very guilt.

Related:
Calvin was so strict and stern, he preached that rebellious children should be executed, calling them monsters, and crafting laws to this effect. Consequently, not only were men and women frequently starved, beaten, maimed and executed in Geneva, but so too were children deemed to be rebellious. Thus, Calvin’s defenders seem to ignore his other sins, in frequent appeal to the State authorities involvement in the matter. Yet, these apologists overlook the depth of involvement Calvin had is both crafting the laws and enforcing them.

While the song has the line “Where even the devil dared not go”, it is more accurate to say “Where the devil was not needed, for Geneva had its very own.”

Geneva is to Calvinism, what the Mountain Meadows Massacre is to Mormonism… that is to say a manifestation of the rotten fruit of false teaching, which is frequently suppressed and dismissed by their followers.