Heroes of Faith

They gave us the Bible in the local language along with the concept
of freedom of conscience and to worship—or not—as we please. Harold Harker discovers the price the Waldenses paid for these beliefs.

Hidden in the valleys of the southern slopes of the European Alps of Italy, tight against the French border, live a people with an amazing history. Known as the Waldenses, these progeny of Peter Waldo of Lyons, France, live amid a vista of steep-sided valleys, rushing streams and snow-capped peaks. The mountain passes into France and Switzerland are high and difficult, but below them forests of beech and chestnut grow and cattle graze. The cold, pristine air invigorates.

But against this same backdrop, in these same valleys some 400 years ago, innocents were slaughtered and the stream flowed with blood.

Christians had dwelt in this alpine area for well over 1000 years, although history dates the Waldenses themselves to the Frenchman Waldo. He was a rich merchant of the 12th century, who believed strongly in the Holy Scriptures, even commissioning the printing of several books of the Bible in the local dialect of French Provençal.

Copies of these translations were presented to the pope in Rome, who accepted them gladly. Waldo took the Bible at its word, and following the admonition Christ gave to the “rich young ruler” (see Luke 18:18-30), he gave away his wealth to the poor and commenced a ministry, preaching the Word of God.

Waldo attracted many people by his sincerity and love of the Bible, such that his followers became known as the “Poor of Lyons.” Like him, they went about preaching from the Bible as well. But this created conflict with the established church in Rome, which alone claimed the right to preach and interpret the Scriptures.

The Inquisition had already begun its deadly work to silence heretics, so very soon the Poor of Lyons scattered across Europe, with many concentrating in Languedoc, France, and in the Piedmont valleys of Lombardy in northern Italy.
Those living in these Italian mountain strongholds became known as the Waldenses or Vaudois. Like the Poor of Lyons, their pastors were itinerant missionaries. They were called barba, which meant “uncle”—a term of respect.

They travelled across much of Europe, usually on foot, posing as merchants and tradespeople. When an opportunity offered, they would share a portion of the Bible with a listener, most of whom had no access to it. By the 16th century there were over 100 Waldensian communities scattered from France to Prague in Bohemia.

When John Hus was burnt at the stake in Constance, in 1415, some 150 years later Bohemian “Brethren,” in their Confession of Faith, referred to the followers of Hus as “Waldenses.” The common link was a belief in the primacy of Scripture and the preaching of it in the local vernacular, rather than Latin.

Then came the Reformation, a revolution in the religious map of Europe, which weakened the Roman Church and threatened its power and dominance both politically and ecclesiastically. Like much in Europe, the Waldenses eventually broke with the Church of Rome in the 16th century. They felt the established church couldn’t be reformed, nor was it about to accede to their views regarding the Scriptures as the only authoritative truth. As the Reformation swept across Europe, the Waldensian barbas met in synod and considered what it meant to them and their faith.

At their annual synod of 1532, they listened to William Farel a reformer from Neuchâtel, in Switzerland, and agreed to join the Reformation. From their meagre resources they gave 10,000 francs for the translation and printing of the Bible in French, their gift to the Reformation.

With the Reformation, for the first time, there was a choice of faith: Roman or Reformed. Yet while this was recognised by the Diet of Augsburg, only the rulers and princes were given this freedom. This Diet made it mandatory for the religion of the ruler to be the religion of their subjects.

In 1560 the Catholic Duke of Savoy used this agreement in an endeavour to impose the Catholic religion on all of his subjects, with the particular object of his effort being the Waldenses, shielded in their mountain fortresses. The Waldenses rebelled, naturally, leading to open warfare.

In those times, religious and civil power were one, which, it was thought, brought stability to society. It was feared that any liberty apart from the “authorised” religion might lead to a breakdown of society or at least power. Undoubtedly there was the element of control in all of these deliberations.

This conflict became one of the first wars of religion in Europe; it was an attempt to defend religious liberty. The outcome was a victory to the Waldenses, who were conceded the right to exist, with a number of ministers and worship centres officially listed. It is to the Waldenses that we today owe much in respect to the concept of freedom of conscience and to worship (or not) as we please.

Not so fortunate were Waldenses, who about 200 years before had migrated to the southern Italian area of Calabria. Spain controlled that part of the country, with Naples as the centre of its influence. The introduction of the Inquisition brought massacres and saw Waldenses persecuted, immolated and butchered, which effectively removed them from southern Italy.

A crisis then came back in the mountain valleys of Piedmont. While there had always been sporadic persecution, an all-out assault on their existence was begun. On January 25, 1655, the Duke of Savoy issued an edict ordering all Waldenses to become Catholics or give up their property and leave their valleys in the middle of an alpine winter.

The Easter Massacre in Piedmont followed as 15,000 troops marched up the valleys. On April 24, hundreds of captives were thrown over precipices and others butchered and tortured. Thousands fled across the snow-covered passes into Switzerland.

These events created a huge diplomatic activity, with ambassadors from over Europe pleading for the massacres to stop. Oliver Cromwell sent his own ambassador to the court at Turin and instigated a huge relief collection across Britain for the Waldenses. Of the events, John Milton wrote: “Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughter’d Saints, whose bones/ Lie scattered on the Alpine mountain cold . . .”

The political pressure finally saw a fitful peace return. Cromwell seemed also to use it to his advantage in the English relationship with France. He appears to have gone soft in his support for the Waldenses once he had a firm agreement with France.

Later, Henri Arnaud led a gallant band of Waldenses back over the Alps, in winter, and withstood horrendous odds to remain unbeaten. This trek is called the Glorious Return of 1689. The Waldenses were then joined by Huguenots forced from France by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

Through their battles, treachery and massacres, the faith of the Waldenses remained firm. Their motto—“Into Darkness, Light” — indicates their belief in Scripture.

General Beckwith, an Englishman who supported the Waldenses in their struggle, once challenged them: “You will be missionaries, or you will be nothing!” Unfortunately, after becoming settled and, with other peoples of Europe obtaining religious freedom, the Waldenses followed the custom of other Protestant groups and appointed pastors to their churches and the roving missionary spirit declined.
While the Waldensian church still exists in Italy, it is now part of the Methodist faith. Other Waldenses migrated to South America, where they established colonies.

In earlier times, the Waldenses were true heroes who were prepared to die rather than give up their faith. All Christendom is in their debt for their stand on the primacy of the Scriptures and religious freedom. It was made at huge cost and deserves to be remembered.

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