John Knox Preacher and historian of the Scottish Reformation Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of John Knox
2. Education and Conversion
3. Imprisonment and Exile
4. Return to Scotland
5. Works and Legacy

Biography of John Knox

John Knox, a preacher and historian of the Scottish Reformation, was born into a peasant family in Haddington, Scotland. The exact date of his birth is uncertain, with arguments for three different dates - 1505, 1513, and 1515.

Education and Conversion

Knox studied at a primary school in Haddington and later attended either the University of Glasgow or St. Andrews (or possibly both). He initially prepared for priesthood but, after the death of George Wishart, who was burned at the stake in 1546, Knox switched sides and became a leader of the Protestant movement in Scotland.

Imprisonment and Exile

In July 1547, Knox was captured by the French after the fall of St. Andrews Castle and was held as a prisoner until February 1549. Undoubtedly, Edward VI and the Lord Protector, the Duke of Somerset, played a role in securing his release and his return to England after a short stay in Geneva. He was appointed a royal chaplain in 1551 and participated in the revision of the Book of Common Prayer in 1552. However, he refused to accept the position of bishop in 1552 and actively opposed the use of Catholic forms of worship.

During most of Mary Tudor's reign (1553-1558), Knox resided in Switzerland, maintaining contact with European reformers. He served as a minister to English Protestant congregations in Frankfurt and Geneva and also served as an advisor to the Scottish "Lords of the Congregation," a group of Protestant lords united against Catholicism.

Return to Scotland

In 1559, Knox returned to Scotland. His strict Calvinism, zealous defense of Puritan worship and behavior, and his support for Presbyterian church governance played crucial roles in the victory of the Protestant cause. In 1566, the foundation for Scottish Presbyterianism was laid, with Knox contributing to the disestablishment of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, the enactment of the Scottish Confession of Faith in the Scottish Parliament, and the adoption of the first Book of Discipline and Liturgy at Knox's First General Assembly of the newly formed Presbyterian Church.

Works and Legacy

Knox's works include "Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women" (1558), "Treatise on Predestination" (1560), and "History of the Reformation in Scotland" (published in 1664).

During the seven years of Mary Stuart's reign as the Queen of Scotland, Knox fiercely battled against the Catholic monarch in defense of the new church. This struggle ended in triumph for the reformer when Mary abdicated in 1567. John Knox passed away on November 24, 1572, in Edinburgh.