A couple people expressed interest in the two men I mentioned in the sermon this past week, Thomas Cranmer and Hugh Latimer. Because of the interest, I wanted to post some resources that will further your understanding about them and their context.
First, I would recommend Foxe's Book of Martyrs (You can google it and/or probably get a free edition for your kindle/ereader). The language will likely take some getting used to, but the stories contained in it will certainly open your eyes to the lives & sufferings of many of the great saints.
If you are looking for something more condensed and to the point... This webpage provides Foxe's account of Cranmer's life & death (he's the guy who put his hand to the fire). This is good in that it gives you a solid digest of those events. If you'd like something shorter (and something that reveals perhaps some of his more controversial acts) you might try this one.
Hugh Latimer is also found in Foxe's work. However, Foxe's account of Latimer does not give you a real feel for his wit and character. You might try these two articles: This one is very short and is sure to give you a couple chuckles along with impressing you with Latimer's boldness. This article is a bit more bland account of the main events of his life. However, I'd recommend you read the last 15 or so lines of the article to see the intrigue that accompanied his martyrdom.
If the whole Reformation thing is something new and obscure to you, we do encourage you to become as familiar as you can. Perhaps a good place to start would be with this book: "The Reformation for Armchair Theologins" Raylene found this book last week and forwarded it to me. It is supposed to be a brief and witty introduction to this period & the major characters. It comes in paperback and audio versions.
Lastly, I might suggest this little series by Steve Lawson. These books are only 100 pages long and provide a solid introduction to some of the major Reformers. They might even serve well for children's reading.
Of course, we can suggest other good reads if you'd like to pursue greater study. I hope this note serves to help you "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." (Heb. 13:4).
First, I would recommend Foxe's Book of Martyrs (You can google it and/or probably get a free edition for your kindle/ereader). The language will likely take some getting used to, but the stories contained in it will certainly open your eyes to the lives & sufferings of many of the great saints.
If you are looking for something more condensed and to the point... This webpage provides Foxe's account of Cranmer's life & death (he's the guy who put his hand to the fire). This is good in that it gives you a solid digest of those events. If you'd like something shorter (and something that reveals perhaps some of his more controversial acts) you might try this one.
Hugh Latimer is also found in Foxe's work. However, Foxe's account of Latimer does not give you a real feel for his wit and character. You might try these two articles: This one is very short and is sure to give you a couple chuckles along with impressing you with Latimer's boldness. This article is a bit more bland account of the main events of his life. However, I'd recommend you read the last 15 or so lines of the article to see the intrigue that accompanied his martyrdom.
If the whole Reformation thing is something new and obscure to you, we do encourage you to become as familiar as you can. Perhaps a good place to start would be with this book: "The Reformation for Armchair Theologins" Raylene found this book last week and forwarded it to me. It is supposed to be a brief and witty introduction to this period & the major characters. It comes in paperback and audio versions.
Lastly, I might suggest this little series by Steve Lawson. These books are only 100 pages long and provide a solid introduction to some of the major Reformers. They might even serve well for children's reading.
Of course, we can suggest other good reads if you'd like to pursue greater study. I hope this note serves to help you "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." (Heb. 13:4).
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