Théodore De Bèze

About the Author

Théodore de Bèze (1519–1605) was a prominent French theologian, poet, and key figure in the Protestant Reformation, serving as John Calvin's successor in Geneva and a leading voice in the Huguenot movement. Born in Vézelay, Burgundy, he initially pursued a career in law and literature, writing elegant Latin poetry and humanist works before his conversion to Protestantism in 1548, prompted by a profound spiritual awakening. Exiled from France due to religious persecution, de Bèze became a prolific author, translator, and defender of the faith, contributing to the Geneva Bible's French translation and engaging in theological debates across Europe. His satirical writings, such as the biting Comédie du Pape Malade Et Tirant à la Fin: Où Ses Regrets, Et Complaintes Sont au Vif Exprimees, Et les Entreprises Et Machinations qu'Il Fait Avec ... Cours de l'Évangile, Sont C (French Edition), lampooned Catholic excesses while championing evangelical truths, blending sharp wit with fervent piety to influence generations of reformers.