Require that the sharpness of mind of those who must be saved, it would - at least in my view - close the way of salvation to most men.
Sebastian Castellon, De arte dubitandi, Book II, On the Trinity
Of all the bastions of Protestantism in Geneva is probably the heart
If it was the homeland of the strictest form of the reformed religion in Europe - Calvin, Farel, Beza and Knox made it a Puritan theocracy in the 16th century - it was also the scene of the birth of a Protestantism dynamic and progressive. A certain man, Pastor Chenevièr was in one of the main protagonists.
Jean-Jacques Chenevière Cato was born December 20, 1783 in Geneva. Pastor's son Nicolas Chenevière he studied literature and philosophy. In 1801 he became a Freemason and in 1802 he began a career as a theologian. Having graduated from Shepherd in 1807 in Switzerland he will officiate at first (Dardagny) and France (Marseille, Paris)
In 1812 he married Geneva and officiates in the city and then in 1813 he was appointed to the diplomatic mission Grand Master of the Imperial University.
Finally in 1814 he was appointed pastor of St. Peter (Geneva).
The liberal theologian he is to be involved from this time very heavily in politics, which earned him a few flights thunderbolts.
In 1815 he was chaplain of the quota Geneva and in 1817 he was appointed professor of dogmatic theology and ethics at the Academy (named president three times between 1825 and 1858).
Chenevière is a theologian and writer whose works held in Geneva amounts to 44.
Among other things he founded the newspaper The Protestant Geneva (which later became The Protestant , now consolidated with the Gospel and Freedom magazine )
What is interesting in Chenevière position is that it is both a Liberal - he will be THE big opponent of the "Awakening" * ** Methodism establishing itself more strongly in the Reformed Church of Geneva - with all that that implies in the context of the time, but is also a man deeply attached to the authority and divine inspiration of the Bible.
Because of its position that it will conflict with both the supporters of the Revival and liberals with the fiercest criticism deeply attached to ***, in its opinion too.
course it will not be on the sidelines when it comes to attack the influence restored Catholicism in Geneva, especially in political and social affairs.
Chenevière wish list at the bottom is very simple: that Protestantism, while retaining the authority of Holy Scripture, gets rid of "causes delay in the progress of Reformed theology for borrow the title of a speech delivered in 1819.
Among these "causes" include for example the rejection of the use of reason, overuse of the authority of church fathers, the traditions, creeds and former reformers, passion for complex theological systems that dig a real gap between doctors and the Gospel message. In sum for
Chenevière, though he knows maintain a goal mind to the person of the great reformer of Geneva, the Protestant world must end with Calvinism.
It is obvious that if men like Michael Servetus and Sebastian Castellon could not be unknown to the pastor Chenevièr their respective works could still less does not count for him.
The travau 
x we are interested here primarily in its series of 6 trials theological whose first volume is devoted to the Trinitarian question.
A detailed list of volumes: From
theological system of the Trinity,
From hereditary depravity of man,
On the use of reason in matters of faith,
Confessions of faith
the benefits of our Lord Jesus Christ,
of predestination and some other Calvinist dogma.
In his essay on the Trinity, Chenevière tries to demonstrate that the dogma formulated from the councils does not comply with the Bible, does not reflect the thinking of the apostolic fathers, is opposed to reason, which is a gift from God and there is no need to believe in the Trinity for salvation but that it obtained by practicing love toward one another and in doing the will of the Father (Note that Castellon had already highlighted all that). He also responded to the findings of various Trinitarian theologians of his time he quotes extensively.
For more details about JJC Chenevière I refer you to the article by Marc Chenevière (his great-great-grand-son): "Jean-Jacques Cato Chenevière In 1831, the mirror of his correspondence published in the book entitled "Protestant Geneva in 1831 (Acts of the symposium held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Evangelical Society of Geneva and the publication of Le Protestant Geneva ), published in editions Labor et Fides (1983). It is still available.
See the article "Jean-Jacques Cato Chenevière in 1831 to mirror his correspondence" in limited picture (page 91):
Also some of his books available in electronic form on Google Books or reprinted on these sites:
Electronic format
http://books.google.fr/books ? as_q = Jean-Jacques Cato Chenevis +% C3% A8re & num = 10 & btnG = Google + Search & as_oq = & as_epq as_eq = & = & = 1 & as_brr as_pt AllType = & lr = & as_vt = & = & as_auth as_pub = & q = & as_drrb_is as_minm_is = 0 & = & as_miny_is as_ma xm_is as_maxy_is = 0 & = & = & as_isbn as_issn =
Reprints
article on the union of the Protestant (Geneva) and Gospel and Freedom:
http://www.evangile-et-liberte.net/article_280_evangile-et-liberte-et-Le-Protestant
* The "Awakening" is a reactionary movement born in the Protestantism, on British soil first and then extended to the rest of the Protestant world. It is an effort to return to the dogmas of the churches with whom the then tended to distance. The clock has its counterpart in modern evangelical churches called "fundamentalists." He is opposed to the "Evangelical Liberalism" which advocates a reading of sacred texts free of any dogma, tends to reject the authority of the doctors of the Church and the councils and encourages worship accompanied by the use of the heart and reason.
** Methodism is a church founded in the 18th century by the English preacher John Wesley (1703-1791). She flowered in England and the U.S. but also strongly influenced the Protestant churches in the world.
*** criticism in theology is a scientific reading of the text of the Bible which tends to expose weaknesses in the historical and literary. It is considered by some as an improvement, but by others as an obstacle to faith.
