WILLIAM FAREL
By Jason Zuidema
EP Books, 126 pages, £6.54
ISBN 978 0 852 349 540
This short biography of Guillaume (William) Farel sheds light on the life of the other, less known, Frenchman who spread the ideas of the Reformation in French-speaking Switzerland.
The life of Farel as told by Zuidema is an easy read (at least for those who love history!) and is inspiring. It’s the life of a man of tremendous courage, great zeal, tirelessness and tenacity. The courage of standing up for the truth led him to flee his beloved country, gave rise to conflict with Erasmus in Basel and sparked many fiery debates with opponents from the Catholic side. Often driven out of towns where he had preached, Farel was filled with passion for the only true gospel and love for the lost and for young suffering congregations – and this meant that he was regularly exposed to danger.
