Antoine Court (Huguenot)
Encyclopedia
Antoine Court was a French
reformer called the "Restorer of Protestantism in France." He was born at Villeneuve-de-Berg
, in Languedoc
, March 27, 1696. His parents were peasant
s, adherents of the Reformed church
, which was then undergoing persecution
. When but 17 years old, Court began to speak at the secret meetings of the Protestants
, held literally "in dens and caves of the earth," and often in darkness, with no pastor
present to teach or counsel.
To the performance of this great task he devoted his life. From audiences of half a dozen meeting in secret, he came to address openly 10,000 at one time. In 1715 he convoked the first Synod of the Desert.
which assumed that there were no Protestants in France and prohibited the most secret exercise of the Reformed religion. A price was set on Court's head, and in 1730 he fled to Lausanne
, Switzerland
, where an academy for Protestant ministers had been founded in 1537. There, after great exertion, he founded a college for the education of the clergy, of which, during the remaining 30 years of his life, he was the chief director. This college sent forth all of the pastors of the Reformed church of France until the close of the eighteenth century. He died at Lausanne, June 13, 1760.
and made extensive collections for the purpose, but he did not live to do the work. He wrote, however,:
(born at Nîmes
, January 25, 1725, died in Paris, May 10, 1784), who took the name of his grandmother, was a literary man of recognized rank, and rendered excellent service, first as his father's amanuensis
and assistant and afterward as a scholar at the capital. He is remembered in connection with the famous case of Jean Calas
by his work Les Toulousaines, ou lettres historiques et apologétiques en faveur de la religion réformée (Lausanne, 1763).
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
reformer called the "Restorer of Protestantism in France." He was born at Villeneuve-de-Berg
Villeneuve-de-Berg
Villeneuve-de-Berg is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Geography:The village lies in the north central part of the commune, on the right bank of the river Ibie, which flows southward through the commune.-Population:-References:*...
, in Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
, March 27, 1696. His parents were peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s, adherents of the Reformed church
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
, which was then undergoing persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
. When but 17 years old, Court began to speak at the secret meetings of the Protestants
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, held literally "in dens and caves of the earth," and often in darkness, with no pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
present to teach or counsel.
Proposals
He entertained a great desire to build up the church so ruthlessly persecuted; and to this end he proposed four things:- (1) regular religious meetings for teaching and worship;
- (2) suppression of the fanaticism of those who professed to be inspired, and of the consequent disorders;
- (3) restoration of discipline by the establishment of consistories, conferences, and synods;
- (4) the careful training of a body of pastors.
To the performance of this great task he devoted his life. From audiences of half a dozen meeting in secret, he came to address openly 10,000 at one time. In 1715 he convoked the first Synod of the Desert.
Resistance
In 1724 further fury was hurled at the Protestants in a decreeDecree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
which assumed that there were no Protestants in France and prohibited the most secret exercise of the Reformed religion. A price was set on Court's head, and in 1730 he fled to Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where an academy for Protestant ministers had been founded in 1537. There, after great exertion, he founded a college for the education of the clergy, of which, during the remaining 30 years of his life, he was the chief director. This college sent forth all of the pastors of the Reformed church of France until the close of the eighteenth century. He died at Lausanne, June 13, 1760.
Works
Court intended to write a history of ProtestantismProtestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
and made extensive collections for the purpose, but he did not live to do the work. He wrote, however,:
- An Historical Memorial of the Most Remarkable Proceedings Against the Protestants in France from 1744-51 (English translation, London, 1832)
- Histoire des troubles des Cévennes ou de la guerre des CamisardCamisardCamisards were French Protestants of the rugged and isolated Cevennes region of south-central France, who raised an insurrection against the persecutions which followed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685...
s (1760; new edition, three volumes, Alais, 1819) - Autobiography, edited by E. Hugues (Toulouse, 1885)
- Letters, from 1739, edited by C. Dardier (Paris, 1885; 1891)
Publications
- E. Hugues, Antoine Court (Paris, 1872)
- E. Hugues, Les synodes du désert (three volumes, Paris, 1885–86)
- H. M. BairdHenry Martyn BairdHenry Martyn Baird was an American historian and educationalist. He is best known as a historian of the Huguenots.-Life:...
, The Huguenots and the Revocation of the Edict of NantesEdict of NantesThe Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
(New York, 1895) - Bulletin de la Société de l'Histoire du protestantisme français (Paris, 1893–1906)
His son
His only son, Antoine Court de GébelinAntoine Court de Gebelin
Antoine Court who named himself Antoine Court de Gébelin was a former Protestant pastor, born at Nîmes, who initiated the interpretation of the Tarot as an arcane repository of timeless esoteric wisdom in 1781.-Early life:...
(born at Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, January 25, 1725, died in Paris, May 10, 1784), who took the name of his grandmother, was a literary man of recognized rank, and rendered excellent service, first as his father's amanuensis
Amanuensis
Amanuensis is a Latin word adopted in various languages, including English, for certain persons performing a function by hand, either writing down the words of another or performing manual labour...
and assistant and afterward as a scholar at the capital. He is remembered in connection with the famous case of Jean Calas
Jean Calas
Jean Calas was a merchant living in Toulouse, France, famous for having been the victim of a biased trial due to his being a Protestant. In France, he is a symbol of Christian religious intolerance, along with Jean-François de la Barre and Pierre-Paul Sirven.Calas, along with his wife, was a...
by his work Les Toulousaines, ou lettres historiques et apologétiques en faveur de la religion réformée (Lausanne, 1763).