Theodore Beza

Theodore Beza (Théodore de Bèze), 1519-1605, French Calvinist theologian. In 1548 he joined John Calvin at Geneva and soon became his intimate friend and chief aid. From 1549 to 1558, Beza was professor of Greek at Lausanne, where he wrote De haereticis a civili magistratu puniendis (1554), a defense of the conduct of Calvin and the Genevan magistrates in the notorious trial and burning of Servetus. In 1558 he became professor of Greek at Geneva, and in 1564 he succeeded Calvin in the chair of theology at Geneva. Beza came to be regarded as the chief advocate of all reformed congregations in France, serving with distinction at the Colloquy of Poissy (see Poissy, Colloquy of ). He was of great importance in aiding the edition of the Greek and Latin versions of the New Testament, and he gave Codex D, or Codex Bezae, one of the most important manuscripts of the Bible, to the Univ. of Cambridge.

Beza, Theodore (1519–1605). Swiss reformed theologian who succeeded John Calvin as leader in Geneva. He is remembered in biblical studies for having discovered a 5th-cent. MS of the gospels and Acts (‘Codex Bezae’), which he presented in 1581 to the University library at Cambridge. In 1565 he brought out the first critical edition of the Greek NT by a study and comparison of available MSS and translations.

Beza, Theodore (1519–1605). French-born successor to Calvin in Geneva as the leader of Reformed Protestantism (see REFORMATION). Educated for a legal career, he renounced Roman Catholicism after a severe illness in 1548. Academically, he devoted himself to biblical study, especially to study of the Greek text. During the wars of religion (1560–98) he provided a theological argument and basis for resistance to usurped political authority. His strong defence of biblical literalism, double predestination and firm church discipline laid deep foundations for Calvinism and initiated what has been called ‘Reformed Scholasticism’. However, the precise connection of Beza with this has been much disputed.