Turretin.

Turretin. a distinguished family of theologians of Geneva, descended from Francesco Turretini, who emigrated for conscience' sake from Lucca to Geneva in 1579. His son, Benedict Turretin (1588-1631), became pastor at Geneva in 1612 and professor in 1618.—His son, François Turretin (1623-87), laboured at Geneva as pastor to the Italian congregation, and from 1653 as professor of Theology. He took a principal part in originating the Helvetic Consensus, and wrote a meritorious Institutio Theologica Elenctica (Gen. 1679-85; 3 vols. Edin. 1847-48).—His son, Jean Alphonse, often called Turretin the Younger, and by far the greatest of the name, was born in Geneva in 1674. He studied theology there under Tronchin, visited Leyden, next both Oxford and Cambridge, and on his return became pastor of the Italian congregation, in 1697 professor of Church History, in 1705 of Theology. Throughout life he laboured to promote a union of the Reformed and Lutheran Churches (the aim of his Nubes Testium, 1729), and succeeded in abolishing the Helvetic Consensus in 1725. His famous large-minded Discourse concerning the Fundamental Articles in Religion was translated at London so early as 1720. He died at Geneva, May 1, 1737, in which year was published his Cogitationes et Dissertationes Theologicae (2 vols.). See the biographical study by E. de Budé (Lausanne, 1880).