Menu:
John Knox 1530-1572
John Knox was born in 1513 in Haddingham which is in Scotland. He went to Glasgow University. He was clearly influenced by the martyrdom of George Wishart and appears to have defended Wishart from the persecution by the Roman Church.
John Knox sought refuge from persecution in Europe but was captured by the French and imprisoned for 19 months. On his release, Knox went to England where there was religious freed (for the Protestants) under the reign of Edward VI. When Mary succeeded to the throne, Knox fled to Geneva where he spent time with John Calvin.
He was among a group of English and Scottish refugees who set about the task of producing a new English translation of the Bible known as the Geneva Bible. This was the first copy to have chapter and verse divisions. It was produced in 1560 and was the main Bible in use for many years. Even the Authorized King James version, produced in 1611, had a difficult time being accepted by people and it was another thirty years before the Geneva Bible stopped being printed.
Knox returned to Scotland in 1559. He taught the plain truths of the Gospel and exposed idolatry within the Catholic Church. Although he did not promote the destruction of Roman churches and monasteries many of his supporters did just that.
It was under the influence of Knox that the Presbyterian system of church government was introduced into Scotland. Knox came into conflict with Mary Queen of Scots who tried to prevent the progress of Protestantism in Scotland.