George van Parris (died 1551) was a Dutch

Arian Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God t ...

, who was

burnt at the stake Death by burning (also known as immolation) is an execution and murder method involving combustion or exposure to extreme heat. It has a long history as a form of public capital punishment, and many societies have employed it as a punishment ...

in London by his fellow Dutchmen for denying that Jesus Christ was God.Andrew Pettegree, 'Parris, George van (d. 1551)', first published 2004, 615 words George van Parris complete biograph
Oxford DNB subscription
/ref> George van Parris attended one of the

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 English Reformation, Reformation. (The spelling stranger church is also found in ...

, which were congregations of European Christians, where he was excommunicated and his remains denied a Christian burial by being burned, presumably with the knowledge of the Polish superintendent over the various congregations, John Lasco.

King Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour ...

, who permitted the foreign congregations to hold services, wrote in his diary, "A certain Arian, of the strangers, a Dutchman, being excommunicated by the congregation, was, after long disputation, condemned to the fire."

Life

He was said to have been born in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...

; but is also described by Robert Wallace as of "Mentz" in the

Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine (german: link=no, Großherzogtum Hessen und bei Rhein) was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Grand Duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 ...

. He was a surgeon, and the law of 1531 enabled foreign surgeons in England to enjoy a larger liberty of opinion than native surgeons enjoyed. He became naturalised 29 October 1550, and was a member for a time of the Dutch Church in

Austin Friars, London Austin Friars, London was an Augustinian friary in the City of London from its foundation, probably in the 1260s, until its dissolution in November 1538. It covered an area of about a short distance to the north-east of the modern Bank of Englan ...

. After the death of

Joan Bocher Joan Bocher (died 2 May 1550 in Smithfield, London) was an English Anabaptist burned at the stake for heresy during the English Reformation in the reign of Edward VI. She has also been known as Joan Boucher or Butcher, or as Joan Knell or Joan of ...

, who had denied the humanity of Christ, moves were taken against the spread of unitarian opinions. A commission was issued on 18 January 1551, and Van Parris, having been arrested, was formally examined on 6 April. The Dutch church excommunicated him, and on 7 April he was condemned. His offence was the denial of the

divinity of Christ In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Differ ...

. Edward VI, in his ''Journal'': Van Parris knew little or no English, and

Miles Coverdale Myles Coverdale, first name also spelt Miles (1488 – 20 January 1569), was an English ecclesiastical reformer chiefly known as a Bible translator, preacher and, briefly, Bishop of Exeter (1551–1553). In 1535, Coverdale produced the first c ...

interceded as his interpreter. A man without prior offences, efforts were made to secure a pardon for him. He was, however, burnt, on 25 April 1551, in Smithfield.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Parris, George Van People executed for heresy 1551 deaths People executed under Edward VI of England Arian Christians Year of birth unknown Belgian emigrants to England Protestant martyrs of England