Nicolas des Gallars
Encyclopedia
Nicolas des Gallars [in Lat. Gallasius] (c. 1520 - c. 1580), was a Calvinistic
divine.
, published at Geneva
in 1545, followed (1545–1549) by translations into French
of three tracts by Calvin. In 1551 he was admitted burgess of Geneva, and in 1553 made pastor of a country church in the neighbourhood. In 1557 he was sent to minister to the Protestants at Paris
; his conductor, Nicolas du Rousseau, having prohibited books in his possession, was executed at Dijon
; des Gallars, having nothing suspicious about him, continued his journey.
On the revival of the Strangers' church in London
(1560), he, being then minister at Geneva, came to London to organize the French branch; and in 1561 he published La Forme de police ecclesiastique instituée a Londres en l'Eglise des Français. In the same year he assisted Theodore Beza
at the colloquy of Poissy. He became minister to the Protestants at Orléans
in 1564; presided at the synod of Paris in 1565; was driven out of Orléans with other Protestants in 1568; and in 1571 was chaplain to Jeanne d'Albret, queen of Navarre.
, and as editor as well as translator of several of his exegetical
and polemical works. He himself wrote a commentary on Exodus (1560); edited an annotated French Bible (1562) and New Testament
(1562); and published tracts against Arians
(1565–1566).
His main work was his edition of Irenaeus
(1570) with prefatory letter to Grindal
, then bishop of London, and giving, for the first time, some fragments of the Greek text.
His collaboration with Beza in the Histoire des Eglises Reformees du royaume de France (1580) is doubted by Pierre Bayle
.
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
divine.
Life
He first appears as author of a Defensio of William FarelWilliam Farel
William Farel , né Guilhem Farel, 1489 in Gap, Dauphiné, in south-eastern France, was a French evangelist, and a founder of the Reformed Church in the cantons of Neuchâtel, Berne, Geneva, and Vaud in Switzerland...
, published at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in 1545, followed (1545–1549) by translations into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
of three tracts by Calvin. In 1551 he was admitted burgess of Geneva, and in 1553 made pastor of a country church in the neighbourhood. In 1557 he was sent to minister to the Protestants at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
; his conductor, Nicolas du Rousseau, having prohibited books in his possession, was executed at Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
; des Gallars, having nothing suspicious about him, continued his journey.
On the revival of the Strangers' church in London
Stranger churches
Strangers' church was a term used by English-speaking people for independent Protestant churches established in foreign lands or by foreigners in England during the Reformation...
(1560), he, being then minister at Geneva, came to London to organize the French branch; and in 1561 he published La Forme de police ecclesiastique instituée a Londres en l'Eglise des Français. In the same year he assisted Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
at the colloquy of Poissy. He became minister to the Protestants at Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
in 1564; presided at the synod of Paris in 1565; was driven out of Orléans with other Protestants in 1568; and in 1571 was chaplain to Jeanne d'Albret, queen of Navarre.
Works
Calvin held him in high esteem, employing him as amanuensisAmanuensis
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 as editor as well as translator of several of his exegetical
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
and polemical works. He himself wrote a commentary on Exodus (1560); edited an annotated French Bible (1562) and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
(1562); and published tracts against Arians
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
(1565–1566).
His main work was his edition of Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
(1570) with prefatory letter to Grindal
Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal was an English church leader who successively held the posts of Bishop of London, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I of England.-Early life to the death of Edward VI:...
, then bishop of London, and giving, for the first time, some fragments of the Greek text.
His collaboration with Beza in the Histoire des Eglises Reformees du royaume de France (1580) is doubted by Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
.