1566

February 1566

Francis David convened a synod, with the king's consent, to discuss the doctrine of the Trinity. This event publicly opened the Unitarian controversy in Transylvania. [Williams, Radical, p.1111]

1568

8-18 March 1568

The king convened a 10-day general synod of the ministers of Hungary and Transylvania to debate the doctrine of the Trinity. The debate took place in the palace and was conducted in Latin. George Biandrata, Francis David & 3 others took the Unitarian side; Peter Melius & 5 others took the Calvinist side. Biandrata proved to be a poor debater, but David had a convincing answer to every question and objection. The discussion was heated and resulted in no agreement, but the king favored the Unitarian side. When David returned to Kolozsvar he was welcomed as a conquering hero. [Williams, Radical, p.1114]

1579

June 1579

Prince Stephen convened a diet to settle the dispute between Francis David and George Biandrata over whether or not it was proper to invoke Christ in prayer. David had already preached a couple sermons to his flock at Kolozsvar in which he said that praying to Jesus was no better than the Catholic practice of worshiping the Virgin Mary or the dead saints. Biandrata accused David of returning to Judaism. The trial was conducted in the palace's great hall. Faustus Socinus was present but did not participate. David had arrived in town extremely ill. By the second day he was to weak to walk and had to be carried into the hall on a chair. He was able to speak in his own defense, but he was finally found guilty of innovation and condemned to life in prison. He was taken to the castle at Deva.

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