Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe

A History of the Lives, Suffering and Triumphant Deaths of the Early Christian and the Protestant Martyrs

“This is a book that will never die, so long as men love and serve our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

 

“After the Bible itself, no book so profoundly influenced early Protestant sentiment as the Book of Martyrs.”

Ever since the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr (see Acts chapter 7), followers of Christ have been persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their faith. My last post shared the story of Brother Andrew, who has dedicated his life to helping Christians living in oppressive, atheistic countries. Organizations like Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs provide support and help to many Christians around the world who are not free to worship and express their beliefs openly.

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, as it came to be called, is a collection of stories of Christian martyrs through the centuries recorded by John Foxe, who was born in England in 1517, the same year that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg. Continue reading “To Die is Gain: Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” →