Church History in Plain Language (Plain Language Series)

by Bruce L. Shelley

Like the Geneva Bible, The Book of Martyrs was a product of the English exile during the reign of Bloody Mary. Foxe marshalled account after account of the suffering of faithful Protestants who dared to die—if need be—for the triumph of God’s kingdom. According to Foxe, this trail of martyrs led to the shores of England and to the reign of Mary. The conclusion seemed clear: God had a special place for the English people in his worldwide plan of redemption. The influence of The Book of Martyrs proved enormous. Generation after generation of Englishmen saw history, and read their Bibles, through Foxe’s eyes. Aside from the Bible, his book probably did more to shape the mind of Englishmen than any other single volume. Less than half a century after Foxe’s death, Puritans carried his work and his philosophy of history—along with their English Bibles—across the Atlantic, into the American wilderness. Thanks to their study of the Bible and their reading of The Book of Martyrs, Puritans came to think of themselves as God’s new Israel.