Josué de la Place (also, Josua or Joshua Placeus; – 17 August 1665 or possibly 1655) was a
Reformed theologian
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
who was born at
Saumur, France
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur sta ...
.
He is known as the originator of the "mediate view" of the
imputation of sin, whereby
original sin
Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
is considered to be an inherent depravity in man.
This view is opposed to the "federalist view", whereby the God immediately imputes original sin to all men, as a consequence of
Adam
Adam is the name given in Genesis 1–5 to the first human. Adam is the first human-being aware of God, and features as such in various belief systems (including Judaism, Christianity, Gnosticism and Islam).
According to Christianity, Adam ...
's sin, and thus this original sin becomes the cause of
actual sin.
Career
Placeus became pastor at
Nantes
Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
in 1625 and was professor of theology at the
Academy of Saumur
The Academy of Saumur () was a Huguenot university at Saumur in western France. It existed from 1593, when it was founded by Philippe de Mornay, until shortly after 1685, when Louis XIV decided on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, ending t ...
from 1633 until his death.
Theology
Placeus together with
Moise Amyraut and
Louis Cappel
Louis Cappel (15 October 1585 – 18 June 1658) was a French Protestant churchman and scholar. A Huguenot, he was born at St Elier, near Sedan. He studied theology at the Academy of Sedan and the Academy of Saumur, and Arabic at the Universit ...
belong, as followers of
John Cameron, to that theological movement at Saumur which in contrast with the orthodox
Academy of Sedan The Academy of Sedan ( Fr.: ''Académie de Sedan'') was a Huguenot academy in Sedan in the Principality of Sedan, founded in 1579 and suppressed in 1681. It was one of the main centres for the production of Reformed pastors in France for a hundred ...
sought to moderate
Calvinistic
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, ...
doctrine by emphasizing the ethical and common human elements, without, however, departing from the fundamental principles.
From the supreme value of the accountability of every human
soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
, Placeus especially drew the conclusion against the imputation of
Adam
Adam is the name given in Genesis 1–5 to the first human. Adam is the first human-being aware of God, and features as such in various belief systems (including Judaism, Christianity, Gnosticism and Islam).
According to Christianity, Adam ...
's actual
sin
In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...
. In defense of the doctrine that the sin of Adam could be reckoned to his descendants only as mediated by the inherited sinful subjective state he pointed out that
John Calvin
John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
knew nothing of an immediate imputation and that the same was denied by
Pietro Martire and
Daniel Chamier, but did not go so far as to justify himself by the view of
Huldrych Zwingli
Huldrych or Ulrich Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a Swiss Christian theologian, musician, and leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swis ...
that hereditary guilt was no more than the guilt of every individual. The national synod of
Charenton (1644) under the leadership of
Antoine Garissoles, representing the constituency of
Montauban
Montauban (, ; ) is a commune in the southern French department of Tarn-et-Garonne. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, and the sixth most populated of Oc ...
, opposed this assertion by adopting a decree to be subscribed by all pastors and candidates. Placeus issued later his vindication, ''Disputatio de imputatione primi peccati Adami'' (Saumur, 1655). The national synod of Loudun, in 1659, withdrew all threatening measures of discipline, but the
Zürich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
orthodoxy
Orthodoxy () is adherence to a purported "correct" or otherwise mainstream- or classically-accepted creed, especially in religion.
Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical co ...
did not rest content until in the
Helvetic Consensus of 1675 it repudiated with Saumurism as a whole the mere "imputation mediate and consequent."
The mediate view was later taken up by
New England theology.
References
Bibliography
*
*Placeus' ''Opera omnia'' were published in 2 vols., Franeker, 1699, Aubencit, 1702.
*E. and E. Haag, ''La France protestante'', ed. H. L. Bordier, vi.309 sqq., Paris, 1889
*
Johann Georg Walch, ''Einleitung in die Religions-Sereitigkeiten...ausser der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche'', iii.890 sqq, Jena, 1734
*Bartholmess, in ''Bulletin de la société de l'hist. du protestantisme françaís'', 1853;
*Saigey, in ''Revue de théologie'', Oct., 1855;
*Lichtenberger, ''ESR'', xi.489 sqq.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Place, Josue de la
1590s births
17th-century deaths
People from Saumur
French Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century French theologians