Foxe's Book of Martyrs. This item is unavailable.Foxe's Book of Martyrs

John Foxe's groundbreaking chronicle of Christian saints and martyrs put to death over centuries remains a landmark text of religious history.

The persecution of Christians was for centuries a fact of living in Europe. Adherence to the faith was a great personal risk, with the Roman Empire leading the first of such persecutions against early Christian believers. Many were crucified, put to the sword, or burned alive - gruesome forms of death designed to terrify and discourage others from following the same beliefs.

Appearing in 1563, Foxe's chronicle of Christian suffering proved a great success among Protestants. It gave literate Christians the ability to discover and read about brave believers who died for expressing their religion, much as did Jesus Christ. Perhaps in foretelling, the final chapter of the book focuses upon the earliest Christian missions abroad: these, to the Americas, Asia and other locales, would indeed see many more martyrs put to death by the local populations.

Foxe's Book of Martyrs caused controversy for condemning the Catholic Church for its persecution of Protestant sects it had branded heretical. To a great extent, Foxe's thesis embodies the rebellious outrage that fueled the upheaval of the established order in the 16th century. It galvanized Protestant beliefs and served as a grim reminder of the injustices those divergent from Catholicism had faced in earlier centuries.

Critics would, over the years, attempt to discredit Foxe's work by pointing out perceived inaccuracies or falsehoods - despite their efforts, the Book of Martyrs' influence did not wane. Modern academics however, in reviewing Foxe's sources and performing a close analysis of the Book of Martyrs, concluded that he was a credible scholar whose output was a worthy and valuable contribution to Christian literature. The English historian Patrick Collinson concludes:

"Foxe helped to shape the controversy along historical and prophetic lines, rather than epistemological or linguistic ones."

Foxe's Book of Martyrs was first published over five hundred years ago. Today, there are many editions of this book available. When Lighthouse Trails decided to start offering this book to our readers, we began our search for a suitable edition. Much to our dismay, we discovered that many of the current editions were compromised in one form or another. For example, in one edition (ironically, published by an advocacy group for persecuted Christians), front page endorsements included the names of those who promote contemplative spirituality and/or the emerging church. When one realizes that contemplative/emerging spirituality embraces some of the very same beliefs that Foxe s martyrs opposed to the point of suffering cruel persecution and death, it is most troubling and misleading to see these names in the cover of an edition of Foxe s Book of Martyrs. In another edition we reviewed, the book was among a special set of Christian classics. We were once again perplexed to see that some of the other books in that series were written by contemplative mystics. And yet another edition, published by a secular publisher, advertised mystical and occult practices on the back cover. Finally, after an unsuccessful search, Lighthouse Trails decided to publish our own edition of this truly incredible and unforgettable account. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3: 17