Tucked away in St Mary’s Square in Gloucester stands an imposing Victorian monument to the memory of John Hooper
(c1500 -1555), second Bishop of Gloucester and one of the first
Protestant martyrs during the reign of “Bloody Mary”. !
Drawing from a wide range of sources – particularly Hooper’s
own correspondence and writings – Pete Sullivan provides a vivid,
lively account of the final turbulent years of Hooper’s life, set
against the religious and political dramas of the day. !
This account is a rich mix of cruelty and compassion, despair and
hope. Above all it is the story of an extraordinary man whose
faith and sense of duty compelled him to pay the ultimate price,
and whose “name and deeds alone are monument more fair and
durable than stone”.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (Pure Gold Classics)
Would you suffer persecution, poverty, and prison for Christ? Would you endure cruel tortures that take your mind and body to the brink of death and beyond? Would you watch your children suffering for their faith and urge them to remain faithful to Christ? Would you endure inhuman tortures and “hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23)? Would you stand boldly and without shame and confess Christ as your Lord, to your own and to your family’s peril? Two thousand years of martyrs For nearly two–thousand years, courageous men and women have been tortured and killed because of their confessions of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs tells their stories. Stories of heroic courage and overcoming faith. Stories of love of God and Christ. Stories of the amazing grace of God that enabled men, women, and children to endure persecutions and often horrible deaths. Foxe¿s last revision in 1570 Foxe’s last revision of his Book of Martyrs was in 1570. In the 18th century others added to his book. But Christians have continued to be persecuted and martyred every year since then. More Christians were martyred in this century alone than in all the past centuries combined. The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs tells their stories from A.D. 37 to 1997 in modern English, and includes new historical data that clarifies and harmonizes people, places, and times. The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is the most up–to–date version of Foxe’s book ever published. It is essential reading for the study of Christian persecution in Foxe’s day and in ours.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In the Midst of Wickedness (Christian Heroes: Then & Now)
Written for readers age 10 and up — enjoyed by adults!
As Dietrich sang the German national anthem, he contemplated the devastation Hitler and the Nazis were perpetrating on Europe. Dietrich would do whatever he could to stop them, even if it meant pulling the trigger on the fuhrer himself. He had thought about it from every angle, and his conscience was clear.
Born into a loving family, Dietrich Bonhoeffer pursued a life as a pastor, teacher, theologian — and spy. He spoke out about the trouble in Germany when Adolph Hitler came to power, urging the Christian church to rescue disparaged people groups and resist Hitler’s evil empire.
Accused of being a troublemaker, Dietrich continued on fearlessly in the midst of wickedness. His work as a spy in the German resistance and participation in a plot to assassinate Hitler led to imprisonment and eventual execution. But the lesson of his life story remains: “Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Nate Saint: Operation Auca (Torchbearers)
Nate Saint peered eagerly over the edge of his big brother Sam’s Challenger biplane. His heart thumped against his ribs in anticipation of takeoff. “You ready for this?” Sam asked. Nate nodded enthusiastically. “Well then, off we go!”
Strapped securely in place in the open cockpit Nate grinned, and Sam grinned back. Then the engine sputtered and roared to life. They were on their way. It was Nate’s first flight but it would be one of many that would eventually take him thousands of miles into the jungles of Ecuador. From the base of Shell Mera Nate would take part in countless operations to help missionaries spread God’s word. From his vantage point in the skies Nate would scour the jungle floor in order to find the elusive Auca tribe who had never heard the truth of God’s word.
On January 8, 1956, Nate and some other missionaries flew to an area near an Auca village and landed at strip of sand that they had named Palm Beach. This was Nate’s final flight for he and four other missionaries on the plane that day were martyred when tribesmen attacked with spears a few days later.
Although this was Nate’s last flight – it wasn’t the end of his work. What he and the other martyred missionaries had done for the Kingdom of God convicted many to listen to God’s call to mission. And the work of evangelism continued to the Aucas too. Many in that village came to accept Christ including several of the men who had thrown their spears on that terrible day.
Jim Elliot: He Is No Fool (Torchbearers)
Jim Elliot had a loving wife, a beautiful little girl, and a reason for real joy. God had called him to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the Auca Indians. The love of Christ not only thrilled him but also gave him peace. Jim would spend the rest of his life bringing Jesus to the lost Aucus … but the rest of Jim’s life was only a matter of months.
Persecution and death are a reality for many Christians today. Jim Elliot and four other young men died in the middle of doing God’s work. The very people they had come to rescue came out against them with machetes and clubs. Jim had realised for quite some time what serving God really meant. There is nothing that is worth more than Jesus – not even your life. ‘He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
This is the story of Jim’s love for a fighting people and of his fight for a loving God.
When his life ended, the work went on and many of the Auca Indians today have the same reason that Jim Elliot had for real joy.
Included in this book are a map, timeline and information on Ecuador.
Joan of Arc
Against the fascinating tapestry of Frances history during the Hundred Years’ War, Diane Stanley unfolds the story of the simple thirteen-year-old village girl who in Just a few years would lead France to independence from English rule, and thus become a symbol of France’s national pride. It is a story of vision and bravery, fierce determination, and tragic martyrdom. Diane Stanley’s extraordinary gift to present historical information in an accessible and child-friendly format has never been more impressive, nor her skillful, beautifully realized illustrations (here imitating medieval illuminated manuscripts) more exquisite.
If All the Swords in England: A Story of Thomas Becket (Living History Library
Young Simon, recently and tragically orphaned, becomes a scribe in the following of the exiled Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. The uncertainty of the tumultuous years leading to the infamous cathedral slaying is heightened by Simon’s separation from his twin Edmund, who is in the service of King Henry II. With an expert pen Barbara Willard deftly recounts events leading to the bishop’s martyrdom in 1170.
Into the Lion’s Den (Black Cats)
‘Dear Uncle Paul – Today I’m going to be eaten by a lion. They tell me it will be quick…’ Agnes and her fellow Christians sit in their cell, waiting to be thrown to the lions. Cass, the young trainee lion-keeper, is in charge today. Little does he know what a complicated day it’s going to be! Terry says: ‘Into the Lion’s Den is a chance for me to keep my history fans happy and, at the same time, keep myself happy by writing it in story form. The background to the story, Christians eaten by lions in the Colosseum, was very carefully researched and some of the characters are based on real people. Hopefully readers will get the best of both worlds – fascinating facts and a terrific tale.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
FOXS BOOK OF MARTYRS A HISTORY OF THE LIVES, SUFFER INGS AND TRIUMPHANT DEATHS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN AND THE PROTESTANT MARTYRS
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