Tag Archives: John Foxe

How the church lost the biblical definition of martyrdom and the Reformers recovered it (temporarily)

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Pastor Foley

In scripture, martyrdom has a much broader meaning than physical death. Not until the second century is the meaning of martyrdom narrowed down in the church in this way.[i] Even then, and for centuries after, Christian writers like Clement, Origen, … Continue reading →

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Martyrs: Not bold or noble, but foolish and weak

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Pastor Foley

The way of the cross is the essential context for a biblical understanding of martyrdom. We wrongly associate martyrdom with bold and noble action on the part of the martyr: We think of the martyr as enduring persecution and torture, … Continue reading →

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How did the author of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs respond to the Coronavirus of his time?

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Pastor Foley

John Foxe never liked being called a martyrologist (he regarded his work as church history), but the author of Acts and Monuments of the Christian Church, popularly called Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs”, turned to the martyrs as exemplars when in … Continue reading →

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