Outcome: "Servetus: Freedom of Science and Religion"
London, November 15, 2003
By Richard Boeke
"Jesus, thou son of the Eternal God, have mercy
upon me." These were the last words of Michael Servetus
as he was burned alive in Geneva, 27 Oct 1553. In autumn
2003, the 450th Anniversary of his death, Servetus Conferences
were held in Spain, Geneva, Paris, and Budapest.
On the 15th of November, a full day Servetus conference
was held at Croydon, England. Speakers ranging from Imam
Abduljalil Sajid to Professor John H. Brooke found lessons
from the life of Servetus that could be applied to our
own efforts to reconcile religions and science. Born in
Spain in 1511, Servetus was Physician, Scientist, Geographer,
and Theologian.
The morning session focused on "Calvin, Servetus
and Religion." The encounter of Servetus with Calvin
was presented in a drama by Louis W. Jones, followed by
Imam Sajid's discussion of the Rev'd Marcus Braybrooke's
paper, "The Trinity, an obstacle for Christian Dialogue
with Jews and Muslims." (Church Times, 31 Oct 2003)
A report of the October Servetus Conference in Geneva
was given by Cliff Reed with special reference to the
contribution of Dean Elek Rezi of Transylvania. Rezi documented
the connection between the books of Servetus and the beginnings
of Unitarianism in Transylvania in 1568. This was followed
by Andrew Hill's controversial paper, "Does Unitarianism
owe more to Calvin than to Servetus?"
Alan Ruston chaired the afternoon session, on SERVETUS,
SCIENCE AND RELIGION. David Williams, Emeritus Perren
Professor of Astronomy, University College, London contrasted
"Servetus: an holistic view of knowledge," with
the fragmentation that characterizes university departments
today. John H. Brooke, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science
and Religion, Oxford, begin his talk by pointing out that
16th and 17th century thinkers did not differentiate sharply
between their science and their religion. "Servetus
is a prime example: A radical innovator in his theology
and a reformer of Galen's physiology, these seeming disparate
elements were unified by his understanding of divine immanence
in the world: 'The vital spirit of Galen was identified
with the Holy Ghost.'" Richard Boeke, Secretary of
the World Congress of Faiths www.worldfaiths.org <http://www.worldfaiths.org/>
, focused on breath, the Ruach Hagofen, as a link to the
holy in every religion. He linked "the breath of
God" and Servetus to the "Elan Vital" of
Philosopher Henri Bergson. He responded to Andrew Hill's
paper with reference to Bergson's book "Two Sources
of Morality and Religion." In religion there are
the priests, like Calvin, who maintain the institution
and the society. There are also the prophets, like Servetus,
who "dream the impossible dream." Who risk rejection
and death for the sake of the new truth they have discovered.
In science, in religion, and in each of us, there are
always elements of both priest and prophet. After discussion,
the conference closed with thanks to the speakers, and
thanks to our hosts: the Rev'd Elizabeth Birtles and the
Croydon Unitarian Church.
Servetus: A modern INDIVIDUAL? l Servetus studied the
stars. He predicted the eclipse of Mars by the moon on
13 February 1538. In 2003, Mars was closer to earth than
it has been for centuries. mmm Servetus denied the Trinity.
He wrote to Calvin,"Instead of God, you have a Cerberus
of three heads: the Trinity." E Servetus lived in
a world which killed & expelled Jews & Muslims.
We witnessed Hitler's Holocaust, and now war with many
Muslims. Servetus envisioned a common spiritual reality
worshipped by Jew, Christian, and Muslim. He sought to
reconcile these enemies. We sense Holiness, a reality
greater than any one creed.
Y Servetus was a scientist, who discovered the pulmonary
circulation of the blood 75 years before Harvey: the spirit
inspired in the lungs."God breathed into the human
form, and the human form became a living soul." h
Servetus was a doctor, who sought to heal body & soul.
We encourage good diet, exercise, meditation & yoga.
P Servetus was a geographer, who saw the relation between
the way we care for our world and the way we live. In
his editions of Ptolemy's Geography, he saw our planet
as the common home of humanity. Earth was given us as
a garden. He lived in a time of rapid change. As he was
born, da Vinci drew a model of an airplane. The New World
of America was being explored. Servetus wrote, "It
should be named for Columbus." Henry the VIII switched
wives & created the Church of England. 2003, the 100th
Anniversary of the first airplane flight. Think of the
changes in our lifetime. E Servetus was stubborn and single
minded. He was not a "team player" but more
of a Don Quixote who tilted at Windmills. Of course, none
of us are like that.
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