Against judiciary astrology

Astrology is said to be judiciary when observations of the heavens are interpreted to allegedly distinguish between right and wrong, in order to judge individuals. The practice was very highly thought of in the 16th century.

Warning against judiciary astrology

  • Cosmic clock © Calendrier des bergers
  • Comète de Hale Bopp avril 1997 © Photo N. Biver (Observatoire de Paris)

In 1548, Calvin dictated, in French, a Warning against judiciary astrology.

Calvin’s text was published in Geneva, by the publisher Jean Girard, in 1549, with the title Treatise or warning against so called judiciary astrology and other oddities ruling today’s world. It was published again in 1842, (by the Charles Gosselin publishing house), in a volume devoted to Calvin’s writings in French, along with a bibliography by P.L. Jacob. More recently, Olivier Millet produced an annotated edition (Droz, 1985).

 

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Associated notes

  • Jean Calvin (1509-1564)
    A generation after Luther, the Frenchman Jean Calvin became the organiser of the Reformation : he organised the Church, shaped the doctrine and defined the role of the Church in state government.