D’Assonville (jr.), Viktor Edouard
[2004]: Publications Office of the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
"Calvyn, Servet en ons ... teologie, geskiedenis en die negende gebod" [Calvin, Servet and Us ... Theology, History and the Nineth Commandment] in Ad fontes: teologiese, historiese en wetenskaps-filosofiese studies binne reformatoriese kader. Festschrift vir Ludi F. Schulze [Ad fontes. Studies in Theology, History and the Philosophy of Science in the Framework of the Reformation. Festschrift dedicated to Ludi F. Schulze], pp. 79-102 [Acta theologica. Supplementum, 5]
Published online:
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/actat/article/view/52271/40897
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/actat/article/viewFile/52271/40897
http://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2016/1980
The South-African Protestant theologian accuses Stefan Zweig of sensationalism and ahistoricity in his Castellio gegen Calvin, oder ein Gewissen gegen die Gewalt. He deplores the oversimplification, which - according to him - characterizes Zweig's portrayal of John Calvin's behaviour during the legal proceedings against Michel Servet (pp. 81-82, in Afrikaans):
"Ad fontes as navorsingsbeginsel vrywaar ’n mens ook van dít waarvan die literatuur oor die Servet-geval ryke illustrasie bied, naamlik die vreemde, onlogiese verskynsel dat die mens geneig is om eerder dít te glo wat hy wíl glo (of dit sensasioneel, ongedokumenteer en ongeverifieer is speel eintlik nie ’n rol nie), as om die gedokumenteerde weergawe met noukeurige verwysing na die historiese bronne te aanvaar. Hiervan is Stefan Zweig se boek, Castellio gegen Calvin, oder ein Gewissen gegen die Gewalt (1936) ’n klassieke voorbeeld in die 20ste eeu. Selektief word met gegewens uit hierdie gekompliseerde hoofstuk uit die Geneefse Reformasiegeskiedenis omgegaan."
['Ad fontes' as principle of research guards a human being also from what the literature on the Servet case offers a rich illustation of, i.e. the strange, illogical phenomenon that the human being is prone to believe rather what he wants to believe (whether this is sensational, undocumented and unverified, does not really play a role) than to accept the documented version with precise references to the historical sources. Stefan Zweig's book Castellio gegen Calvin, oder ein Gewissen gegen die Gewalt (1936) is a classic example thereof in the 20th century. Facts from this complicated chapter of Reformation history in Geneva are treated selectively]