Fox's Book of Martyrs [Paperback]

John Foxe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2009

Published early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, of England, only five years after the death of the Roman Catholic Queen Mary, the work is an affirmation of the Protestant Reformation in England during the ongoing period of religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Since the English monarchs also asserted control over the Church in England, a change in rulers could change the legal status of religious practices. As a consequence, adherents of one religion risked judicial execution by the State depending on the attitudes of the rulers. During Mary's reign, common people of Christian faith were publicly burned at the stake in an attempt to eliminate dissension from Catholic doctrines. Foxe's account of Mary's reign and the martyrdoms that took place during it contributed very significantly to the belief in a distinction from the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope as a central aspect of English national identity. By compiling his record, Foxe intended to demonstrate a historical justification for the foundation of the Church of England as a contemporary embodiment of the true and faithful church, rather than as a newly established Christian denomination.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"When one recollects that until the appearance of the the common people had almost no other reading matter except the Bible and Fox's Book of Martyrs, we can understand the deep impression that this book produced"

- James Miller Dodds, English Prose.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Back Cover

This is a book that will never die--one of the great Christian classics. Written with passion and tenderness, it tells the dramatic, true stories of men, women, and children who, in the face of indescribable persecution, gave their lives for the sake of Christ. Covering the broad sweep of church history from the early church to the beginning of American foreign missions in the early 1800s, Fox’s Book of Martyrs continues to inspire and strengthen countless Christians with a vision of faith that, both in life and in death, commits itself utterly to the Lord of Life. Presented here in its most complete form, this book brings to life days when "a noble army, men and boys, the matron and the maid . . . climbed the steep ascent of heaven amid peril, toil, and pain." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Wilder Publications (March 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160459716X
• ISBN-13: 978-1604597165
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #507,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faith of Our Fathers, February 14, 2005

By 

Mark Ebert (Lancaster OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fox's Book of Martyrs: A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Deaths of the Early Christian and Protestant Martyrs (Paperback)

The Bible states that our LORD is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It stands to reason that if He remains unchanging, then the faith He bestows on believers is the same as that of the early Christians.

What was most educational and humbly to me as I read this work is that the early Christians did not attempt to pass laws that would make their society more comfortable for them, but gladly shared in the suffering of Christ, their only concern being to share His Gospel. Jesus did not command us to make life comfortable for ourselves, but to preach His Gospel in season and out of season. If you, as I have, find that difficult, this book, coupled with Scripture, will open your eyes to the need and give your heart courage and embolden your faith.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humbling, April 16, 2010

By 

NuttyBob "Morbidly obtuse" (Richland, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fox's Book of Martyrs (Paperback)

Amazing book. If this doesn't strengthen your faith in God, I don't know what will. I don't know how anybody could dismiss all the sacrifices that those people made: either they were all delusional, or there really is a God, and His eternal rewards are worth sacrificing everything in this life for, if necessary.

34 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping the Faith, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fox's Book of Martyrs: A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Deaths of the Early Christian and Protestant Martyrs (Paperback)

During an Evangelism trip at my church, one godly man starting reading excerpts from this book to the group. The accounts of the martyrs and their sufferings are truly inspiring to the Christian who wants to make his faith known. Now that I own this book myself, I believe that it is a great reminder of the sufferings for Christ that others have made and the importance in the spread of the Great Commission.