What do you think?
Rate this book
بدمائهم شهداء المسيحية حول العالم فى القرن العشرين
وثق استشهاد ما يقرب من 120 مليون مسيحى خلال هذا القرن وهو يفوق مجمل عدد شهداء المسيحية منذ نشأتها
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Their amazing stories are told in By Their Blood, a modern continuation of the classic Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Some stories are well known: John and Betty Stam were beheaded by an antiforeign mob: Jim Elliot and four others were slain by Auca Indians in Ecuador. But countless other stories are less known, though equally dramatic and soul stirring. From accounts of torture behind the Iron Curtain to massacres in sub-Saharan Africa, here is a montage of those who have given their lives for the cause of Christ in the last century. This new edition of the Gold Medallion winner is thoroughly updated to include the stories of Christian martyrs up to the present day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Their amazing stories are told in By Their Blood, a modern continuation of the classic Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Some stories are well known: John and Betty Stam were beheaded by an antiforeign mob: Jim Elliot and four others were slain by Auca Indians in Ecuador. But countless other stories are less known, though equally dramatic and soul stirring. From accounts of torture behind the Iron Curtain to massacres in sub-Saharan Africa, here is a montage of those who have given their lives for the cause of Christ in the last century. This new edition of the Gold Medallion winner is thoroughly updated to include the stories of Christian martyrs up to the present day.
Unknown Binding
First published October 1, 1995
9 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
James C. Hefley
96 books8 followersJames C. "Jim" Hefley is the author of more than 50 books including the popular Way Back series, of which this book is one. For many years prior to retirement, Hefley was a popular author and well-known inspirational speaker. He lives in Hannibal, Missouri, where he founded Hannibal Books in the early 1980s. In 1999 he sold the book publishing company to KLMK Communications, Inc., which is based in Garland, Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 30, 2018
As I write this review, I haven't yet finished reading By Their Blood. However, having read about two-thirds of it, I think I have a fairly developed opinion of the book. In the name of posting my monthly review, I'm going to go ahead and write it now. If my feelings about the book change (and if I remember), I'll try to update my words accordingly.
I vote 3/5 stars for the second edition of By their Blood, written by James C. and Marti Hefley. According to Goodreads, this means I "liked it." The book's subtitle reads "Christian Martyrs of the Twentieth Century." It compiles hundreds of accounts by first sorting them according to the region of the world (and country within that region) and then telling the accounts from each country in roughly chronological order.
I chose this book because I was interested in learning of those who, by God's grace, were faithful to Him and to His Gospel until death. I don't have a natural interest in history. Names and dates go in one ear and out the other. Although it is laid out like a novel, this book reads more like a textbook, and honestly, I found myself nodding off during some parts. In typing that, I sound callous and insensitive to my own ears; here I am reading stories where lives are lost and I can't stay focused. Well, I've said it as it is. I was inspired by certain other stories, though, particularly when the martyr in question was one person with a name and a family, rather than a large group of anonymous "Christians."
Why do I write "Christians" in quotation marks? Well, it turns out that not all the martyrs featured in this book are Gospel-believing Christians. Page 301 of the book talks about people dying for "freedom and faith." Faith could mean a vast number of things. Placed in anything besides Christ, it's dead. It's heart-wrenching to think of people who lived and died the death of a martyr and then faced God apart from Christ (Read more of my thoughts here). At least one part of the book depicted battles between Orthodox Christians and Catholic Christians which involved mass killings just as brutal and bloody as if the murderers had been anti-God. This was admittedly a hurdle for me to overcome, but once I put words to my conflicted feelings, I was much more at peace to continuing reading. After all, not only Protestants have died for their faith, whatever that faith may be. Overall, it was a blessing to me to think through this, and I grew from the experience.
To summarize my thoughts, I think it's good for me to be reading By their Blood and learning from it - when my mind is focused on the text. I would recommend it to others who want to learn about martyrs from a very historical angle, and would just give a word of warning regarding the hurdle that I personally had to overcome.
A NOTE ON CONTENT:
Violence:
Given that this book is about martyrs, a lot of violence is to be expected. Violence in this book includes but is not limited to:
-Methodical torture
-Burning at the stake
-Battles and mass killings
-Gunfire and bombing
-Mobs and beatings
-Tribal violence and cannibalism
Sexual Immorality:
Sometimes, persecutions included sexual abuse. I cannot recall descriptions ever going into great detail; they were generally summarized with a sentence.
Magic and the occult:
There are mentions and brief descriptions of animism and satanic worship. This book does NOT condone such practices, but rather uses such descriptions to paint a picture of the environment in which missionaries and national believers served.
Language:
I don't recall any foul language or any language which makes light of hell or any instances where the Lord's name was used in vain.
I vote 3/5 stars for the second edition of By their Blood, written by James C. and Marti Hefley. According to Goodreads, this means I "liked it." The book's subtitle reads "Christian Martyrs of the Twentieth Century." It compiles hundreds of accounts by first sorting them according to the region of the world (and country within that region) and then telling the accounts from each country in roughly chronological order.
I chose this book because I was interested in learning of those who, by God's grace, were faithful to Him and to His Gospel until death. I don't have a natural interest in history. Names and dates go in one ear and out the other. Although it is laid out like a novel, this book reads more like a textbook, and honestly, I found myself nodding off during some parts. In typing that, I sound callous and insensitive to my own ears; here I am reading stories where lives are lost and I can't stay focused. Well, I've said it as it is. I was inspired by certain other stories, though, particularly when the martyr in question was one person with a name and a family, rather than a large group of anonymous "Christians."
Why do I write "Christians" in quotation marks? Well, it turns out that not all the martyrs featured in this book are Gospel-believing Christians. Page 301 of the book talks about people dying for "freedom and faith." Faith could mean a vast number of things. Placed in anything besides Christ, it's dead. It's heart-wrenching to think of people who lived and died the death of a martyr and then faced God apart from Christ (Read more of my thoughts here). At least one part of the book depicted battles between Orthodox Christians and Catholic Christians which involved mass killings just as brutal and bloody as if the murderers had been anti-God. This was admittedly a hurdle for me to overcome, but once I put words to my conflicted feelings, I was much more at peace to continuing reading. After all, not only Protestants have died for their faith, whatever that faith may be. Overall, it was a blessing to me to think through this, and I grew from the experience.
To summarize my thoughts, I think it's good for me to be reading By their Blood and learning from it - when my mind is focused on the text. I would recommend it to others who want to learn about martyrs from a very historical angle, and would just give a word of warning regarding the hurdle that I personally had to overcome.
A NOTE ON CONTENT:
Violence:
Given that this book is about martyrs, a lot of violence is to be expected. Violence in this book includes but is not limited to:
-Methodical torture
-Burning at the stake
-Battles and mass killings
-Gunfire and bombing
-Mobs and beatings
-Tribal violence and cannibalism
Sexual Immorality:
Sometimes, persecutions included sexual abuse. I cannot recall descriptions ever going into great detail; they were generally summarized with a sentence.
Magic and the occult:
There are mentions and brief descriptions of animism and satanic worship. This book does NOT condone such practices, but rather uses such descriptions to paint a picture of the environment in which missionaries and national believers served.
Language:
I don't recall any foul language or any language which makes light of hell or any instances where the Lord's name was used in vain.
August 5, 2012
An great read for those who think the death and persecution of christians ended at Rome!
October 7, 2021
The accounts of these Christian martyrs are so encouraging! I as a Christian have nothing to fear! What can man do to me?
February 24, 2025
Jump into this book and take a journey from all the corners (almost) of the earth and witness what faith in action looks like. This is basically an updated version of Foxes Book of Martyrs years ago. While you know this is a book about people laying down their lives for Jesus, many of the accounts and deaths will have you aghast. Powerful, hurtful and encouraging, this book is one to remember.
August 11, 2008
This book is a good reminder that loving God and being loved by Him does not mean the absence of suffering. It also raises the question of what it means to be a martyr. Are martyrs only those who choose death over verbally denying their faith or are they those who for love of God and love of souls find death in foreign lands?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews