.jpg)
Antoine Court (27 March 1696 – 13 June 1760) was a French reformer called the "Restorer of Protestantism in France." He was born in Villeneuve-de-Berg, in Languedoc, on 27 March 1696, although at least one source lists a different date.[1] His parents were peasants, adherents of the Reformed church, which was at the time a target of state persecution following the 1685 Edict of Fontainebleau.
Antoine (sometimes translated as Anthony) was ordained by Pierre Corties at a Synod in 1718.[2] He founded a school for clergy and encouraged Paul Rabaut to join the ministry of the church.[citation needed]
When he was 17 years old, Court began to speak at secret meetings of the Protestants, and in 1715 he convoked the first Synod of the Desert, or synod of the French Reformed Church. He was ordained in 1718, and continued holding religious gatherings for Protestants across France.[2]
His proposals for the improvement of the French Protestant church were:[citation needed]
In 1724, France issued a decree that further criminalized Protestantism, and made preaching punishable by death.[3] A price was set on Court's head, and in 1729 he fled to Lausanne, Switzerland, where there was a seminary for Protestant clergyman. He founded a college there for the education of the clergy, and was the chief director there until his death on 13 June 1760. This college sent forth all of the pastors of the Reformed Church of France until the close of the eighteenth century.[citation needed]
Court intended to write a history of Protestantism and made extensive collections for the purpose, but he did not live to do the work. His writings include:
