# Missions and the Reformation



## HuguenotHelpMeet (Jan 16, 2005)

It is often said that missionary efforts by Western Christian churches did not really begin until the 19th century. 

The article below explores the history of missions during the Reformation. It should be remembered that missions sometimes involved expeditions to new lands never before explored. 

http://spindleworks.com/library/deddens/mission_ref.htm

One such example was the French Huguenot colony known as La France Anarticque which led to the founding of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1555. Calvin sent ministers from Geneva to preach the gospel to this first Protestant colony in the New World two years later and evangelize the native Indians. The colony ended in disaster when the leader reverted back to Romanism and put to death three men who became the first Protestant martyrs in the New World. Before they died they prepared the Martyr's Confession (February 1558), which is the first confession of faith written in the New World. 

Calvin sent missionaries indeed throughout all of the Western World at great peril to their lives. They fanned out from Geneva to all sorts of places. John Knox may be said to be the most well-known of Calvin's 'missionaries' in that he left Geneva and returned to his homeland to become the 'father of Presbyterianism' in Scotland. 

http://www.theology21.org/theology/calvin.htm

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/John_Calvin.htm

John Eliot (1604 - 1690) was known as the "Apostle to the Indians." 

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/164.html

P.S. This was posted by Andrew (aka 'VirginiaHuguenot'). 

[Edited on 1-16-2005 by HuguenotHelpMeet]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 16, 2005)

Ian Murray also speaks of the Puritan vision for Missions in _The Puritan Hope_: 

http://www.revival-library.org/catalogues/puritan/murrayi-puritanhope/07.htm


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 11, 2007)

_The Theology of Missions in the Puritan Tradition_ by Sidney Rooy


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## Pergamum (Jan 12, 2007)

The Reformation WAS a missions movement. 


Over 1,000 churches started in France and Bible sneak all over Europe is pretty evangelstic...especially when you could face death.

Reactions: Like 1


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 15, 2007)

The Puritan Theology of Missions

The Puritans' Mission Theology of Preaching

John Calvin and His Missionary Enterprise


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