Jaehyoung Kim: Essay 4

A Huguenot Pastor views Protestant Reformation

     I’m very glad to share my experiences with you. Before sharing my experiences about what I’ve experienced during the Protestant Reformation in France, I want to introduce myself briefly. I was born as the third son in a Huguenot family. And after I got married, I became a pastor and served a small Huguenot church in Paris.
     For those who are not familiar with what ‘Huguenot’ stands for, I will explain about it. Huguenots are the French Protestants in 16th and 17th centuries. We had suffered under the severe persecutions under French government (Oxford). Most of the Huguenots were Calvinists, the Protestant who follows John Calvin. And I was a Calvinist, too.
     As most of you may know, Protestant Reformation began with Martin Luther nailing the Ninety-five Theses at the door of Wittenberg Church (McManners). Following Martin Luther, the French theologian John Calvin added supports to it and led Reformation in France. Most of his followers became leaders of Reformation in France and led many people in France to convert to Protestantism.
     My great-grandfather was the first person among my family who converted to Protestantism. After him, most of my family members accepted Protestantism. But since Protestantism was forbidden during 16th century, they were required to have worship services in secret. Since 1523, when the first French Lutheran Jean Vallière was burnt at the stake, uncountable Huguenots were persecuted and burnt at the stake (Gwon).
     During his age, however, the proportion of Huguenots tremendously increased and the confliction between Protestant and Catholic was inevitable. And finally, the French Wars of Religion occurred, after the Massacre at Vassy in which many Protestants were killed by Catholics (Holt). During the war, uncountable people among both Protestants and Catholics were killed and the repetitions of revenges were made back to back.
     Catherine de Médicis, who was the mother of Charles IX and the actual ruler during her son’s reign, tried to persuade Huguenots with Colloquy of Poissy, which promised the most basic form of freedom of worship to Huguenots (Britannica, Catherine de Médicis). But it was not a law and was not actually executed. So the war continued.
     In 1562, the war was seemed to be concluded when Catherine de Médicis issued Edicts of January, which allowed a limited freedom of worship to Huguenots. By Edicts of January, Huguenots having a license from government were allowed to have simple worship services, with safeguards observing them (Britannica, Catherine de Médicis).
     But in fact, Edicts of January was unceasingly flouted. Huguenots were still persecuted frequently and requests of the license for worship service were usually denied. In 1569, Philippe de Gastine and his son, who arranged a meeting of Huguenots, were sentenced to death at the Place de Grève, in where a cemetery of Huguenot martyrs was located (Gwon).
     Moreover, on 24 August 1572, the infamous Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre took place. Catherine convinced Charles IX that Huguenots are on the brink of rebellion. And Charles IX, who was completely deceived by Catherine, ordered assassination of all Huguenots in France. About 3,000 Huguenots were killed in Paris and over 70,000 Protestants died in France (History.com), including my grandparents.
     However, after the death of Charles IX, Henry III and Henry IV came to throne. They were much more generous to Huguenots. They made constant efforts to arbitrate between two parties. And finally, Henry IV ended the wars completely in 1598 by the Edict of Nantes (Doopedia). More than 30 years of war was ended.
     Edict of Nantes granted us the full civil rights and freedom of public worship service. A special court called the Chambre de l'Édit was established in order to deal with disputes arising from the edict. And even our pastors could get financial supports from state. We could build strongholds for protecting ourselves from attacks and they were named ‘places de sûreté’ (Britannica, Edict of Nantes). It was the age of freedom and liberty for us.
     But when Louis XIV came to throne, the situation changed completely: it became worse than before. In 1679, he issued a series of more than 125 documents, limiting the liberties of Huguenots including the freedom to worship (Britannica, Louis XIV). Public worship services were forbidden, and the strongholds that we built were captured by national armies. The supports toward Huguenots pastors were restricted. And schools were forced to teach children in Catholic manners.
     Things got worse in 1685. Louis XIV officially revoked Edict of Nantes by Edict of Fontainebleau. Moreover, he instituted these new policies: All Huguenot church buildings were to be destroyed, No public or private Huguenot worship services were to be allowed, Ministers who would not convert to Catholicism had to leave the country within 10 days or be put to death, Children born to Huguenot parents were to be baptized by Catholic priests and raised as Catholics; Huguenots (except ministers) were forbidden to leave the country (Combee).
     As a result of these policies, Huguenots in France almost disappeared into thin air. Many Huguenots had escaped to foreign countries to keep their faith, though they were sentenced to death if captured. And those with little faith converted back to Catholicism. 
     Since I was a pastor, I was also forced to be out of my country. And as John Calvin did, many Huguenot pastors including me went to Geneva, Switzerland, in which the freedom of religion existed.
     As mentioned on Bible, nation without healthy church couldn’t prosper (New Living Translation, Isaiah 14). Since most of the Huguenots were professions in their job such as professors or technicians, the country’s economy got worse than ever (Knecht). The corruption of Catholic Church didn’t cease and the daily life of innocent people became catastrophic.
     This is my entire story. And I would like to end by saying this. Having the freedom to worship can only be done by God’s grace. So if you have it, always be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (New Living Translation, 1 Thessalonians 5).



Bibliography

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