Introduction

Biography

Bénédict was the son of An­dré Pic­tet and Barbe Tur­ret­ti­ni, and hus­band of Ca­the­rine Bur­la­mac­chi (mar­ried 1680).

Consecrated in 1678, he spent most of his ca­reer as a pas­tor in Ge­ne­va. In 1686, he was ap­point­ed pro­fess­or of theo­lo­gy there.

He was al­so:

• Director of the French Stock Ex­change in Ge­ne­va (1687 & 1703)
• Director of the ci­ty hos­pi­tal and lib­ra­ry (1706)
• Correspondent of the Eng­lish So­cie­ty for the Pro­pa­ga­tion of the Faith (1706)
• Foreign as­so­ci­ate of the Ber­lin Aca­de­my of Sci­enc­es (1714)

Works

Pictet chaired the com­mis­sion for the re­vi­sion of the psal­ter. He him­self wrote ma­ny texts, in par­ti­cu­lar hymns for the li­tur­gi­cal year. His oth­er works in­clude:

• Théologie Chré­ti­enne, 1702
• Morale Chré­ti­enne, 1693–96 (ma­ny re­prints and trans­la­tions)