PAJON, CLAUDE

born 1626, Romorantin, near Blois, Fr. died Sept. 27, 1685, Carr French Protestant theologian who was influential during the later Reformation. Pajon studied at Saumur and became a pastor at Machenoir. He was made a professor of theology at Saumur in 1666 but had to resign in 1668 after controversy arose over his views. Though he repeatedly declared his allegiance to orthodox Reformed views as set forth by the Synod of Dort (161819), Pajon's teaching that sins were caused by ignorance led some of his colleagues to question his orthodoxy. In 1668 Pajon became a pastor at Orlans. There again he was the subject of controversy; he was accused of Pelagianism and Arminianism and was officially examined on his views. He set forth his tenets not in a systematic treatise but in his correspondence and lectures. He held that the spirit of God operated through human reason, which will accept the Word if circumstances are propitious, a view that was in conflict with the Calvinist doctrine of salvation by grace alone.