New Servetus Biography by Uwe Bimstein

A new book about Michael Servetus' life has been published by German author Uwe Bimstein. Titled Toleranz und Scheiterhaufen: Das Leben des Michael Servet (Tolerance and the Stake: The life of Michael Servetus), the book is a biography which also speaks to Michael's theology from a current viewpoint. 

Cover of Tolerance and the Stake

I am happy to see more information published about Michael's life. Because he spent time in Germany and Switzerland with Protestant leaders after leaving the Catholic Church, I am hopeful Mr. Bimstein has included new information on Michael's time in Basel and Strasbourg. At this pivotal juncture in his life, he was rebuffed by the Protestant leaders. With the knowledge that neither the Catholics nor the Protestants were willing to allow changes in their doctrines, Michael decided to publish his ideas in the book On the Errors of the Trinity. This act set the course for the rest of his life. More information about what the Protestant leaders said to him or about him would shed light on his fateful decision.

I congratulate Mr. Bimstein on his publication and hope to see an English version soon. More information on the book is available at:

Tolerance and the Stake

No New Ground Broken

I have reviewed Mr. Dome's comments to my last post, I appreciate his return to explain his position. I believe now that I have misunderstood his statement. When he said, "Stated in inspected documents", I thought he meant documents he, or some other researcher, had inspected. I imagined from this that others, even you and I, could inspect them. After my review of his comments and the resources he directed me to view, I now believe he meant documents that French officials in the 1500s inspected that are no longer extant. There is, as I  now understand, no document that shows Michael had a father named De Villanueva. Just the same as there is no document that shows Michael had a father named Serveto.

The documents referred to my Mr. Dome , from my understanding, are documents viewed by registrars of the University of Paris when Michael matriculated there, Tagault, head of the medical school, when he was tried for teaching astrology, and the officials who conferred citizenship on him while he was living in Vienne.

If only any one of these officials would have saved a copy of the documents they viewed.

I extend my apologies to Mr. Dome for misunderstanding his words and I appreciate him showing me sources to help me recognize my misunderstanding.