Pierre Viret

Pierre Viret.

Pierre Viret (Orbe 1511 - Orthez 1571) was a Swiss Reformed theologian.

Youth

Pierre Viret, a learned theologian and close friend of John Calvin, was born in Orbe, a small town located in present-day Switzerland in 1511. His parents were of the middle class.

Viret studied as a scholar in his hometown school and then attended the University of Paris, where he was converted to the Reformed faith. He returned to Orbe in 1531 to escape the persecutions in Paris.^[1]

Preaching

William Farel, a Protestant preacher, called Viret to the ministry at his return to Orbe. On May 6, 1531, Viret preached his first sermon. He was only twenty years old at the time. His preaching was received with astonishment and acclamation by his hearers, and many were soon converted to the Reformed Faith, among whom were both Viret's parents.^[2] Subsequently, he preached in Lausanne and Geneva, before missionary tours in France, preaching to crowds of thousands (Paris, Orléans, Avignon, Montauban, and Montpellier). His preaching was sweet and winning, and won him the name of "The Smile of the Reformation."

One time, he was captured by Catholic forces. In France, Viret was considered as one of the most popular French-speaking preacher in 16th century.

But before all, he was the reformer of the city of Lausanne, where he converted the local population to the Reformation faith. In his time, Lausanne also became, with Geneva, a training ground for Reformation preachers. Among those who studied in Lausanne was the author of the Belgic Confession, Guido (Guy) de Bres. While at Lausanne, Viret founded a Reformed Academy, which was forced to relocate to Geneva in 1559. The relocated professors and students of Viret’s Lausanne Academy soon became the foundation of Calvin’s famed Geneva Academy.^[3]

Bas relief of Pierre Viret.

Bibliographic sources

• Linder, Robert D. "Forgotten Reformer." Christian History.
• "Viret, Pierre." Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation
• Procedures Held With Regard to those of the Religion of the Netherlands (1568)

External links

• http://pierreviret.org Website of the Pierre Viret Association
• Pierre Viret: and the Refusal of the Church to Fold Before the Power of the State An article on Viret's views concerning Church and State
• Pierre Viret and Geneva An article dealing with Viret's importance to Geneva
• Several biographies in English and French
• Forgotten Reformer A biographical article in Christianity Today.

1. ^ J. H. Merle D’Aubigne, D.D., History of the Reformation in Europe (Sprinkle Publications, Harrisonburg, VA, 2000).
2. ^ D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation in Europe, pages 223-224
3. ^ Michael W. Bruening, Calvinism’s First Battleground: Conflict and Reform in the Pays de Vaud, 1528-1559 (Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2005), page 254

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