First circular International Servetus Congress
BARCELONA
OCTOBER 20-21, 2006
 There
are few figures in the history of ideas in modern times that
would match the breadth and scope of Michael Servetus outlook
and his importance to the evolution of culture in Western
Europe. He was a lonely scholar and a bold mind who brought
together what was best in the cultural renewal of the Renaissance
and in the attempt at the moral renewal programmed by those
later described as Radical Reformers.
He contributed in many areas and several ways to the development
of humanistic mentality and institutions of modern times.
He set the path for future intellectual inquiries of the Enlightenment.
In the realm of the function of society at the moral level,
Servetus recognized the full potential of human nature, capabilities,
and rationality.
Servetus sacrificed his life defending his ideas. His sacrifice
induced another humanist, Sebastian Castellio, to rethink
the mental framework of how religion treated the issue of
intellectual inquiry and its repression. The ferment that
Servetus and Castellio originated eventually found its expression
first in the religious movement of Socinianism and later
in the Enlightenment leading directly to the establishment
of modern democratic and humanistic ideals.
The memory of Servetus was erased from the annals of history,
but recent events and trends in social, political, and religious
thought emphasize the timeless value and relevance of his
contributions. There are several organizations promoting Servetus
figure and his contributions. Interest in the studies of Servetus
is constantly growing. It seems thus that the time is appropriate
to introduce a regular formal event in the form of an International
Servetus Congress in order to learn about his heritage and
spread some of his ideas. We hope that this event will be
of interest to you and you are kindly invited to participate.
Best regards. Marian Hillar and Ángel Alcalá.
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