Customer Reviews

Foxe's Christian Martyrs of the World (Christian Library)

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Not exactly for the weak constitution, the audio version of Foxe is quite good. It is obviously trimmed back from the written version, but still contains the mainstream content (all of the most important martyrs are present). Foxe, a significant figure in the Protestant Reformation, was an eye witness to many Christians being killed for their faith (both Protestant and Catholic). This persecution lead him to delve into other persecutions throughout the Church's history with the result being this book. The audio is read by a woman (unknown) who has a clear speaking voice and comes across without boring the listener. Well worth the purchase price. Run Time: 90 minutes.

Foxe has written an excellent book detailing the sacrifices (often with their lives) followers of Jesus Christ have paid.

While Foxe mentions well-known sufferers and martyrs in Christian circles such as the Apostles, Wycliffe, Luther, Latimer, and others, he also mentions less well-known figures. While some names are less known, their sacrifices were just as real and have not been forgotten.

Read and be challenged to not take for granted the freedom to be a Christian! Today, fellow Christians are being martyred just like in Foxe's times.

This is a really amazing book. Everyone should read it, Jr. High and up. This book causes you to ask yourself, "is my faith in Christ so strong that I would be willing to die for it?" "Is Biblical Christianity so important to me that I would rather be tortured for my belief and teaching rather than give it up?" My parents read me this book when I was a kid, and now I've read it again. It has definitely strengthened my faith, and encouraged me not to be ashamed, but to be strong for Jesus. This is not at all a Christian feel good book. It is hard (emotionally) to read. Also, it testifies to the fact that persecution for religion will not stamp out that religion, rather it will multiply that religion's converts. And true, it doesn't have a bibliography, but it was first published in 1559. People didn't always do bibliographies back then! The men and women that this book talks about were as real as you and I, and their martyrdom was real too. I would like to clarify the fact that this book does not say that Christianity and the Church began with the Reformation, as one reviewer has stated. In fact, the book clearly agrees that these things began long, long before the Reformation. Anyway, I certainly recommend this book. It is so inspiring!

John Foxe has recorded the widespread protestant persecutions during the 16th and 17th centuries in a biased yet effective manner. The book inspires Christians today to persevere in the face of adversity but is also valuable in a non-religious sense as a cross-cultural guide to understand the dominant political and military factions vying for power in John Foxe's time. Northern Europe, Northern Germany, Holland, Scandanavia, and England were primarily protestant nations during the reformation and during an era when politics, religion, and military campaigns were tied together to set the stage for international interaction. The Thirty Years War, international mercantilist-colonial expansion, and civil war were largely results of the social tensions and conflict caused by the split from the Catholic Church. The Catholic nations of Italy, France, Spain, Austria, and the principalities of Southern Germany, known as the Holy Roman Empire, were economically and militarily at odds with Northern Europe and England. The reformation provided an emotional and spiritual rallying point for nations that resented political, military, and economic domination by the Pope in rome and the powers of the Holy Roman Empire.

Although Fox primarily intended this manuscript to inspire the Protestant Christian faithful, his writings serve as a testimony that betrays a political agenda designed to achieve political changes and record the sacrifices of faithful Christians and 'loyal' Englishmen. These political-religious tensions between nascent mercantilist military and economic powers and English social factions that resulted from the tensions of the Protestant reformation gave rise, in large part, to the birth of modern nations and provided the mold for 19th century international politics.

The reader must have a general knowledge of the historical context of conditions in England when Fox pens his writings to fully appreciate the political import of the book. England was a predominantly protestant nation dominated politically by a Catholic monarchy. The brutal religious oppression of the common man in the protestant majority by the Catholic monarchy was a reflection of the dispute over a basic question; England's alliance with and influence by the Holy Roman Empire or development as an independent and sovereign political force in an era of international overseas expansion. This conflict gave rise to the English civil war in the mid 16th century, a nationalistic event, and Oliver Crommewell prevailed to install a protestant regime, which equally brutally repressed the catholics in exacting revenge,in the name of religious devotion and fervor. The real issue, of course, was majority home rule in England vice minority rule with loyalty and ties to the Pope in Rome, and rival foreign powers. Crommewell the nationalist prevailed in the outcome and John Fox provides a testimony to the dark years prior to political change in 16th century England. Visible legacies of this part of religious and political history are seen in Northern Ireland, the invasion of Jamaica by Cromwell's English forces, and the movement of the Pilgrims to esatblish colonies in New England to escape the religious persecution and intolerance of the Catholic monarchy. This book helps define a part of history which directly led to the establishment of the economically progressive Northern colonies and, eventually, the United States of America. A companion book to help understand the context is "The Prostestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism", by anthropologist Max Weber.

One reviewer of this book was confused in thinking that he or she would find an extensive bibliography and that there would be an objective view of the martyrs and the Catholics. Evidently that reviewer did not realize that this text was written during the Protestant Reformation from first hand accounts and that any accounts of martyrs being told will have some degree of subjectivity especially if the accounts are being written at a time of persecution when hundreds of Protestants were being tortured and burned at the stake. The Catholic Church at that time would of course have a bad reputation and might be thought of as not Christian. An historical understanding of the period would be very helpful to the reader and especially that reviewer.

This book is AMAZING! I have never read something that has touched my heart and soul like this book. Every Christian should read this book. You will gather a whole new appreciation for what these people went thru in the name of the Lord. NO ONE will be able thru these stories without shedding a tear.

This book has the information that I needed. The description was accurate. It was a good value

We have such a love for Missionaries. Foxe's Christian Martyrs is a great read. Also the DVD End of the Spear based on the book written about the exerience of 5 missionaries "Nate Saint (August 30, 1923 - January 8, 1956) in Ecuador who was killed while attempting to evangelize the Waodani people through efforts known as Operation Auca."
A committed life lived for the Lord!

Foxe's Book Of Martyrs is a classic, and this is a great edition of that timeless work. This Mantle Ministries edition is obviously not all of the original work by Foxe, but the elements that are included are far less edited (perhaps not at all) than other versions. By this book and read it aloud to your children to help them learn to stand firm in their faith in times of testing.

Long live the Reformation! Thank you, Mr. Foxe.