Pierre Berthoud

November 2009

Dear Friends,

     Pictured here are the key personnel at the “new” Seminary in Aix-en-Provence. From left to right, they are, Kim Tran, Director; Aline Dieleman, Librarian, instructor in church history; Ronald Bergey, professor of Old Testament; Frédéric Hammann, Boice Chair occupant, professor of practical theology; Yannick Imbert, professor of apologetics and church history; Michel Johner, professor of ethics; Paul Wells, Dean, professor of systematic theology; Donald Cobb, professor of New Testament.

     Who is missing from this snapshot? Of course, it’s Pierre Berthoud. He began retirement in September (though he still teaches a course or two). And so we want here to salute Pierre, who has been one of the principal figures in the entire history of the Seminary. Born and raised in Lesotho, in southern Africa, to Swiss missionaries, his family moved back to Europe when he was a teenager. He attended the Theological Seminary of Lausanne, but found little there that related to the evangelical faith of his youth. Everything changed when he went to l’Abri, the remarkable Christian community in the Swiss Alps. Francis Schaeffer guided him into a robust biblical faith which has stayed with him till this day.

     Pierre attended Covenant Seminary in St Louis. In the States he met Danièle, a splendid Jewish woman who had come to faith in Christ, at a significant personal cost. They married and today, over 40 years later, they have four children and eight grand- children! I know he would say of Danièle that she is the true secret behind his astonishing accomplishments. Upon graduation the young couple went to Paris to teach biblical languages at Vaux-sur-Seine, the other evangelical seminary in France. They then joined the families at l’Abri, where they spent several years assisting Francis and Edith Schaeffer in that vital work. Then, in 1974, the Berthouds were called to Aix-en- Provence, where Pierre would teach Old Testament up until the present.

     When the legendary founding Dean, Pierre Courthial, retired, the obvious choice for his replacement was Pierre Berthoud. He was the Seminary’s head for 17 years, and then, after a brief hiatus, for three more years until his retirement. It is hard to summarize his accomplishments in a few words. Perhaps first and foremost, Pierre is a pastor. During his tenure as Dean he always sought to bring unity to the faculty, the students and the trustees. I watched him time and again ministering to the deepest spiritual needs of anyone blessed enough to approach him. He has an uncanny way of listening, and discerning the question-behind-the-question! He piloted the ship through some quite choppy waters. The evident health of the Seminary today is in no small part thanks to Pierre’s leadership.

     Despite his heavy administrative load, Pierre has been able to do some significant writing. His En quête des origines is an exceptional study of the first 11 chapters of Genesis. In addition he has written numerous articles on such topics as Old Testament prophets, the knowledge of God, the contemporary church, and much more. Pierre is among the most trusted leaders in modern France. He has been the chairman of Scripture Union Europe, a trustee of Le parvis des arts, the director of FEET (the Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians) and several more groups.

     As I write these inadequate lines of tribute, my own emotions run deep. I have no dearer friend. Pierre and Danièle have stood by Barbara and me literally through thick and thin. Of course, as they say, we’re just getting to the good part! Be assured, neither they nor we have been able to find the word “retirement” in the Scriptures. So we soldier on. Though a little older, we believe we have a few more blows to deliver. Certainly we expect many good things from Pierre, through lectures, books, and personal service.

     This is why FLTR is a “new” seminary. Of course its traditions and values have not changed. But we are now in the post-Berthoud years. The place has never been healthier. Paul Wells is the Dean. The younger professors are simply brilliant. Student enrollment has never been higher. Pierre is one of the reasons, humanly, for this wellbeing. So now, to honor him, would you please consider helping us support this crucial endeavor in the heart of post-Christian Europe? Thanks!

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

A Gordian Knot

February 2010

Dear Friends,

     It would be difficult for us to ignore the worldwide phenomenon of Islam, even if we tried. The subject is pasted in the news quite regularly. Take, for example, the recent fuss over the ban against using the name Allah by any non-Muslim in Malaysia. Although the official law states that one can be imprisoned for using this nomenclature, which many Christians use to speak of the biblical God, it is almost never applied. Still, that there should be such a law at all is striking.

     Last fall the highly democratic nation of Switzerland voted decisively against constructing Minarets in Swiss towns. What was the reason? According to the Swiss government the decision was not “a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture.” Nevertheless, this vote must have come from somewhere. Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, Switzerland’s prominent minister of justice, has declared that this vote reflects a fear among the Swiss of Islamic fundamentalism.

     The French have similar issues with Islam. President Nicholas Sarkozy recently has called for a national debate about the subject. The result was a vitriolic discussion of the nature of French identity as opposed to “foreign” concepts. Are all criticisms of the Islamic presence in France xenophobic? French identity is historically defined as “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité,” the three virtues of the Revolution of 1789. On the surface, such an ideology would seem entirely secular, and hostile to any religion. Yet a cherished virtue in this “lay” state is the freedom for religion. So, how can France be both “un pays d’accueil” (a welcoming country), which has to include Muslims, and stay truly secular? It’s a Gordian knot.

There are very good answers to this dilemma. Consider the “Kuyperian” outlook espoused by the Reformed Seminary in Aix-en- Provence. Deep religious differences may be held in a society which is mixed. Muslims, secularists, Catholics, Huguenots, and newer mix-and- match beliefs such as New Age, all may coexist, on condition that government exercises its proper role. The state cannot impose any sort of confessional uniformity on a country. Yet it can, and must, promote discussions on how to live together with deep differences. What are the rules? They are the standards of justice given in God’s Word and complemented through his common grace. Even though governments may not acknowledge such a source, yet it is real. God appoints magistrates to reward the good and punish evil (Romans 13:1-7). For modern France this is not an abstract question. It is urgent. Could this be the window we have been waiting for, so that the voice of biblical religion can cut the Gordian knot?

Very Truly yours,

William Edgar, President

Year of Anniversaries

September 2009

Dear Friends,

     Other anniversaries besides Calvin’s 500th are being celebrated this year. We’ve just come back from England, where it’s all about Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, and the 150th anniversary of his most famous book, On the Origin of Species. He is being fêted as one of the greatest scientific minds in history, even though his theory of the survival of the fittest has done untold damage when applied to the social realm.

     For those who have noticed, it is also the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, the greatest rock festival of all time. Who can forget “three days of peace and love,” featuring the Grateful dead, the Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix and so many others?

     Yet these events should not eclipse the most important anniversary in recent history: the 20th anniversary of the “miracle year” of 1989. It all began inauspiciously with the DDR (East Germany) winking at escapees going through Hungary and on to freedom in Austria. The same began to happen through all the satellite countries. Within a few weeks the Berlin Wall was opened, and then destroyed. Soon the Soviet Union itself would dissolve. Statues of Lenin tumbled in many countries. For sure, the collapse of communism did not issue forth in “the end of history” as Francis Fukuyama had declared. But it was an astonishing turnaround, one which even the most optimistic pundits had not foreseen.

     France, like many other European societies, had flirted with communism over the decades. Despite André Gide’s warnings, as early as 1936, that the Soviet Union was a sham, many were still attracted to the messianic promises of communism, at least until finally the truth about its brutality was impossible to deny. Twenty years out, France does not have any messiahs. Its people desperately need the true one, Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords, who yoke is easy and whose burden is light.

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

Pierre Courthial

May 2009

Dear Friends,

     One of the great spiritual forces of our day has moved from this world to the next. Pierre Courthial, born in 1914, went to be with the Lord he served so well, April 22, 2009.

     Some French Christian figures have been recognized by the media: Paul Ricœur, Jacques Ellul, and Pierre Chaunu. Others are less well- known, unjustly, except in certain circles: Henri Blocher, Pierre Marcel, and, it would seem, Pierre Courthial. Ordained to the gospel ministry in 1937, Dr. Courthial held three significant pastoral positions before moving into academics: in the Ardèche, in Germany, and, for many years, at the Église de l’Annonciation, in Passy, Paris. Then, in 1974, at the age of 60, he accepted the position of Dean of the newly formed FLTR, la Faculté Libre de Théologie Réformée, in Aix-en-Provence. He was appointed Professor of apologetics, ethics, and practical theology at this Seminary which we cherish and help sustain. He was its defining founder. 

     Dr. Courthial was committed to the heritage of Jean Calvin, Abraham Kuyper and the best theologians of the Reformed Faith. He wrote a number of books, including Le jour des petits commencements, a marvelous primer on the Covenant of Grace, articulated in contrast to the radical evils of secularization from the Enlightenment to today. More significantly, he was one of the great preachers of our day, combining biblical exposition with timely application. Thus, he was appointed “for such a time as this” in the landscape of the French-speaking world.

     For me personally this is a very great loss. Pierre, as I was allowed to call him, mentored me in the deep things of Reformed theology. We taught a course together. We spent hours in consultation. Despite an age gap of 30 years, he was the best friend one could have. We are sad for Hélène, his wife of 70 years, and their five children and numerous offspring. But we are joyful for the provision of this extraordinary champion of our great religion.

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

John Calvin - Part 3

February 2009

Dear Friends,

    I begin this first letter of 2009 with a note of deep gratitude. So many of you responded generously in 2008, above any expectation, and this despite the economic downturn. Thank you ever so much.

     This is our third newsletter devoted to John Calvin. I want very briefly to reflect on his approach to worship. May 21, 1536, the town of Geneva made an official decision “to live according to the Gospel and the Word of God.” Calvin lost no time in going to the heart of the city’s need. In January of 1537 he laid before the council some Articles for the organization of the church and its worship. It included the catechism of children, discipline, respect for the Lord’s Supper, and the singing of the Psalms in public worship.

     Catechetical instruction would ensure the continuity of the church as an intelligent body of people down through the generations. Church discipline was a way to keep the preaching of the Word of God at the center, and also to guard against those who came to church only to pay lip service to divine forgiveness for immoral living. Calvin’s teaching of the Eucharist became a major Reformation statement: in it Christ was really present because of the preaching of the Word and the secret work of the Holy Spirit, not in a transfer of substance from him to the elements. Finally, the Psalms were sung as the prayers of the people, “so that the hearts of all may be aroused and stimulated.” Using beautiful and simple melodies, they had to be sung in the local language, never in Latin.

     Although he would develop these points during his career, he would never stray from them. They are still the foundation for much of authentic Protestant worship today. See you in Geneva this Summer?

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

John Calvin - Part 2

November 2008

Dear Friends,

     This will be the second newsletter focusing on John Calvin. Robert Kingdon has argued that the Protestant Reformation was an anticlerical revolution. Before the Reformation Geneva was an Episcopal city, ruled both temporally and spiritually by a bishop and his vicars. Geneva could call on the power of the duke of Savoy for protection. Several hundred clergymen ruled Geneva, out of a population of about ten thousand. A number of lay people, called vidomne, also helped out in governance.

     When Geneva officially embraced the Reformation officially in 1536, all of this changed. The bishop and his officers were ousted, and ecclesiastical property was appropriated by the new government. When John Calvin was in his heyday, only a hand full of clergy had any role at all. Yet far more dramatic changes occurred in the life of the city of Geneva than under clergy rule. They, with Calvin, accomplished these changes only indirectly, through moral suasion.

     What did change in Geneva? Everything! Education was for everybody. Prostitution was abolished. Charities were expected to help the poor rather than to build up the coffers of the church. Hospitals were endowed by wealthy lay persons, and grew significantly. Justice was accomplished primarily through a semi-ecclesiastic court, known as the Consistory. What happened in Geneva was not just anticlerical, but much more positive: it was a spiritual and social revolution.

     The lesson here? The church is not called to hold political power, but to exercise declarative and prophetic influence. If we could grasp this principle today, we would be far better poised to show the world the way to enter God’s kingdom. The Seminary at Aix is looking for a spiritual and social revolution in France and around the world. You can help her do this through your prayers and your gifts. Thanks very much!

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

John Calvin - Part 1

September 2008

Dear Friends,

     John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509. Much of next year will be spent remembering him, studying his views and their influence. Accordingly, our next four newsletters will be centered on this remarkable figure.

     His relationship with our Seminary in Aix-en-Provence is patent. First, and this is sometimes forgotten, he was French. Though he spent much of his mature years in Geneva, he was from Noyon, north of Paris, and lived in different parts of France for some of his most formative years. Even from Geneva, Calvin was profoundly aware of the progress of the gospel in Provence, as a number of his letters attest.

     Second, Calvin’s goals were similar to those of the Seminary. He wanted to re-form the church, not begin a new one. So does Aix. He believed the heart of sound theology is the glory of God. So does Aix. He urged the church to vest the Scripture with ultimate authority. So does Aix. He believed that the Christian faith was comprehensive, speaking not only to matters of the soul’s salvation, but to all of life. So does Aix. He was and continues to be misunderstood. So is Aix. He was fallible and made a number of serious mistakes. So has Aix. Yet he was profoundly aware of God’s mercy, his patience, his love. So is Aix.

     Among the numerous conferences in 2009 about Calvin, two are not to be missed. For French-speakers, there is a two-part colloquium on Calvin, on at Aix (Feb. 20-21) and the other in Vaux-sur-Seine (March 27- 28). See their web site [http://www.fltr.net/carreft.html]. The second, in English, is in Geneva, July 6-9, will be a major congress on all aspects of Calvin’s life and thought. The web site is quite impressive and interactive: [http://www.calvin500.org/anniversary_conferences.html]. See you there!

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

Je Me Souviens

May 2008

Dear Friends,

     This year we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. Quebec Province’s official motto, found on its coat of arms, and on every license plate is “Je me souviens.” There is some debate about the object of this memory. The creator of the slogan, Eugène-Étienne Taché, never made it clear. He was not particularly fond of the English, and so the slogan might have meant “I remember how good things were under French rule.”

     Huguenots would have to disagree. In 1598, after the so-called wars of religion, King Henri IV succeeded in drafting a toleration document, the Edict of Nantes, which was an arrangement whereby Protestants were given significant liberties in France. Known as the Huguenots, probably from the Swiss-German word, Eidgenosse, meaning federated one or companion, these French Protestants were now free to travel and colonize the New World. In 1604 the Sieur Pierre du Gua de Monts, the king’s envoy and a Huguenot, ventured to Acadia with both Protestant and Roman Catholic settlers, including one pastor and one priest. According to the Protestant-born Samuel de Champlain, the geographer on that journey, the two clerics often came to blows over their religious differences! Champlain later went on to explore the new territory and established Quebec City on July 3, 1608.

     Louis XIII provoked a reversal of fortune in 1627, by issuing a charter that prohibited non-Catholics from emigrating to “New France,” as it was then called. Huguenots became a persecuted minority. Although the British took over in 1763, granting much more freedom of religion, various obstacles still stood in their way. For example the law divided schools in the province according to language: English meant children went to Anglican schools, French meant Roman Catholic ones. French- speaking Huguenots were in a bind.

     Today, the problem is not persecution but indifference. Christian faith of any stripe struggles against the wet blanket of religious apathy. One shining exception is the Eglise Réformée du Québec, with its seminary, Institut Farel. If you decide to come up to Quebec for the celebrations, do visit one of these churches and speak a word of encouragement to them. Reassure them that “je me souviens... de vous!”

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President