Why France?
On Friday, I'll help lead a Youth For Christ team to serve in France. Why a mission team to France? Let's look at some Frnch history...The French branch of the Reformation came to be referred to as the Huguenots. They followed the teachings of the French-born Reformer John Calvin.
In 1559, a sickly fifteen year old Charles IX ascended to the throne. The government was run by his mother, Catherine Medicis. At first, Catherine Medicis tried to promote peace between the Catholics and Protestants by granting certain privileges to the Huguenots by means of the Edict of St. Germain (1561).
The peace became short-lived when on 1st March, 1562 a number of Catholics descended on a large Huguenot assembly in Vassy, killing 1200. This ignited the the Wars of Religion which would rip apart, devastate, and bankrupt France for the next three decades.
By August 1570 the Regent Catherine de Medici was forced to declare the Peace of St. Germain to prevent the Huguenots from taking Paris. Their leader and spokesman, Gaspard Coligny, succeded in obtaining freedom of religious practice in all cities except Paris. Coligny was the Admiral of the French navy as well as Governor of Picardy. He joined the Protestants in 1559. The Peace of St Germain had illustrated clearly just how much power was vested in the Huguenots. The Catholics feared this power and it was decided to eliminate the Huguenots, particularly their leaders. With the marriage of Prince Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot, to Marguerite Valois (daughter of Catherine Medici) on 23rd and 24th August, 1572 a golden
opportunity presented itself. It happened during the wedding, when thousands of Huguenots converged on Paris for the wedding celebrations.
At some point during the night of August 23, the decision was taken at the Louvre to kill Coligny and the Huguenot leaders gathered around him. Charles IX was certainly there along with Catherine de' Medici and Henri d'Anjou. It may not have been originally intended to be a general massacre. Charles IX was reputedly badgered into this decision by Catherine and his councillors, and when he finally broke he is alleged to have said, "Well, then kill them all that no man be left to reproach me." The killing spread into the country side and lasted for 3 days. The powerful Huguenot Henry of Navarre's life was spared by pretending to support
the Roman Catholic faith. Despite persecution, Protestantism continued to flourish in Orange, Uzès, and especially Nîmes even though religious battles occurred regularly.
When Henry of Navarre (King Henry IV) came to the throne in 1589 he pressed for the basic civil rights for the Huguenots although he himself had turned back to Catholicism. The 1598 Edict of Nantes temporarily brought relief to the persecuted church. However, in 1685 King Louis XIV of France revoked the edict. This drove the bulk of the Huguenots out of the country. France lost so many highly skilled and industrious people in this "brain and skill drain," that its economy suffered severely. It is estimated that more than 250,000 French fled. Perhaps that
many more were killed in France before they could flee. So what happened was the evangelical voice in France was killed. Today France is largely a secular state which claims Catholicism as its official religion. But very few Catholics attend church. You're considered a regular church goer in France if you attend two services a year. Only 1% of the population is considered evangelical. With the rise of Islamic immigrants, the religious state of France is up for grabs. So we go to help France Youth For Christ in its mission to share Jesus with French young people. I'll share more about our project tomorrow. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"
In 1559, a sickly fifteen year old Charles IX ascended to the throne. The government was run by his mother, Catherine Medicis. At first, Catherine Medicis tried to promote peace between the Catholics and Protestants by granting certain privileges to the Huguenots by means of the Edict of St. Germain (1561).
The peace became short-lived when on 1st March, 1562 a number of Catholics descended on a large Huguenot assembly in Vassy, killing 1200. This ignited the the Wars of Religion which would rip apart, devastate, and bankrupt France for the next three decades.
By August 1570 the Regent Catherine de Medici was forced to declare the Peace of St. Germain to prevent the Huguenots from taking Paris. Their leader and spokesman, Gaspard Coligny, succeded in obtaining freedom of religious practice in all cities except Paris. Coligny was the Admiral of the French navy as well as Governor of Picardy. He joined the Protestants in 1559. The Peace of St Germain had illustrated clearly just how much power was vested in the Huguenots. The Catholics feared this power and it was decided to eliminate the Huguenots, particularly their leaders. With the marriage of Prince Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot, to Marguerite Valois (daughter of Catherine Medici) on 23rd and 24th August, 1572 a golden
opportunity presented itself. It happened during the wedding, when thousands of Huguenots converged on Paris for the wedding celebrations.
At some point during the night of August 23, the decision was taken at the Louvre to kill Coligny and the Huguenot leaders gathered around him. Charles IX was certainly there along with Catherine de' Medici and Henri d'Anjou. It may not have been originally intended to be a general massacre. Charles IX was reputedly badgered into this decision by Catherine and his councillors, and when he finally broke he is alleged to have said, "Well, then kill them all that no man be left to reproach me." The killing spread into the country side and lasted for 3 days. The powerful Huguenot Henry of Navarre's life was spared by pretending to support
the Roman Catholic faith. Despite persecution, Protestantism continued to flourish in Orange, Uzès, and especially Nîmes even though religious battles occurred regularly.
When Henry of Navarre (King Henry IV) came to the throne in 1589 he pressed for the basic civil rights for the Huguenots although he himself had turned back to Catholicism. The 1598 Edict of Nantes temporarily brought relief to the persecuted church. However, in 1685 King Louis XIV of France revoked the edict. This drove the bulk of the Huguenots out of the country. France lost so many highly skilled and industrious people in this "brain and skill drain," that its economy suffered severely. It is estimated that more than 250,000 French fled. Perhaps that
many more were killed in France before they could flee. So what happened was the evangelical voice in France was killed. Today France is largely a secular state which claims Catholicism as its official religion. But very few Catholics attend church. You're considered a regular church goer in France if you attend two services a year. Only 1% of the population is considered evangelical. With the rise of Islamic immigrants, the religious state of France is up for grabs. So we go to help France Youth For Christ in its mission to share Jesus with French young people. I'll share more about our project tomorrow. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"
posted by Jim "Train" King at 11:43 AM
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