JOHN KNOX
John Knox was born in Haddington, Scotland, near Edinburgh, in 1505; he died at the age of 68 in 1572. To seek to cover his life in 30 lines is almost criminal! I am tempted to entitle this, "The Greatest Scot". No individual altered the face of Scotland's religious history more than John Knox. His life is comparable to that of John Wesley of England or Martin Luther of Germany. He lived in a turbulent Scotland. His life was marked by controversy and misunderstanding, but then all of God's Reformers are!He took orders in the Catholic Church at the age of 25, serving as such for the next 10 years. By 1545, Knox fell under the powerful influence of George Wishart, who was Scotland's "morning star" of Reformation. Wishart, being burned at the stake in St. Andrews, would forever mark the turning point in the spiritual life of Knox. He renounced Catholicism, and openly professed the Protestant faith.
Through a tragic turn of events, Knox was taken captive and spent 19 months in the galleys of a French ship. After his release, he continued pastoring in England and Geneva, where he encountered John Calvin.
In 1559, Knox was called back to fulfill the preaching at Edinburgh's historic St. Giles Cathedral. His house can still be seen today, located on the Royal Mile, yards from the Edinburgh Castle. While ministering in Edinburgh, the great controversy between Knox and Mary, Queen of Scots ensued. Mary, a devoted Catholic with French sympathies and Knox, a resolute Protestant with Scottish self-determination was sure to produce many sparks! The struggle is legendary, similar to another John and a wicked ruler who insisted on having his brother's wife! The only difference, Mary lost her head, instead of John!
Besides the great preaching and leadership of Scotland's reformation, Knox produced two important articles, which served to form the policy and future government of Scotland. 1) The First Book of Discipline. 2) The Book of Common Order.
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