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On The Errors of the Trinity. 1531
(trinitatis erroribus)

Context Some excerpts Prints Translations

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Context

On the Errors of the Trinity was issued in the summer of 1531, at Hagenau in Alsace. A little book which was destined to start a profound revolution in the religious world. It was written in Latin using expressions easy to comprehend, with thoughts not too well digested or arranged, though its main intention is clear enough, and it shows a remarkable range of reading for a youth. It was put on sale in the Rhine cities, and its influence soon spread far and wide through Switzerland and Germany and into northern Italy; and wherever it was read it won marked attention. Servetus seems naïvely still to have expected that the reformers would actually welcome his contribution to their cause as soon as they took time to reflect on what he had to say; but instead they were thrown into the greatest consternation by it. [know more]

Some excerpts

“In investigating the holy mysteries of the divine Triad, I have thought that one ought to start from the man; for I see most men approaching their lofty speculation about the Word without having any fundamental understanding of CHRIST, and they attach little or no importance to the man, and give the true CHRIST quite over to oblivion. But I shall endeavor to recall to their memories who the CHRIST is. However, what and how much importance is to be attached to CHRIST, the Church shall decide.
Seeing that the pronoun indicates a man, whom they call the human nature, I shall admit these three things: first, this man is JESUS CHRIST; second, he is the Son of God; third, he is God."

Translated by WILBUR, E.M. The two treatises of Servetus on the Trinity. London: Harvard University Press, 1932, p. 6

Prints

De Trinitatis erroribus, libri septem. Per Michaelem Serveto, alias Reves ab Aragonia Hispanum. Anno M.D. XXXI. [Haguenau, 1531]. Published by the press of Johann Setzer (Secerius). Several copies are preserved in various libraries. Reprinted in Regensburg in 1721.

Translations

Dutch: in 1620 by Reiner Talle (Regnerus Vitellius, 1558[9]-1619[20]). Van de Dolinghen in de Drievvldigheyd, Seven Boecken, Eertijds in Latijn beschreven Door Michiel Servetus, gheseyt Reves van Aragonien, Spaenjaerd ...," Amsterdam, 1620.

English: in 1932 by Earl Morse Wilbur On the Errors of the Trinity. Seven Books. By Michael Serveto, alias Reves, a Spaniard of Aragon MDXXXI. In The two treatises of Servetus on the Trinity .... Now first translated into English by Earl Morse Wilbur, D.D. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press; London: Humphrey Milford; Oxford University Press; Harvard Theological Studies, 1932).

Catalan: by Ana Gómez Rabal Dels errors sobre la Trinitat (Barcelona: Edicions Proa, 1999).