Jean-Frédéric Osterwald

He was born at Neuchâtel in 1663 in a patrician family, a son of the Reformed pastor Johann Rudolf Ostervald.

As preacher, pastor, lecturer and author, he attained a position of great influence in his day, he and his friends, J.

[1] In matters of theology, Ostervald thought to show a leaning towards Socinianism[2] and embraced Arminianism, emphasizing the freewill of the man.

His writings had a great influence, bearing spiritual renewal among Waldensian, Dutch, German, Hungarian and Scandinavian Protestants.

Moreover, the English Royal Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts – of which he was a member – brought his teachings to the countries of the Middle East, India, Canada and the West-Indian Islands.