Rectifying the 'ignoraunce of history' : John Foxe and the collaborative reformation of England's past
The sixteenth-century Acts and Monuments by John Foxe was more than a martyrology, which memorialised the persecutions of Mary I's reign. It was also an ecclesiastical history which saw the Christian past as a battle between the church of Christ and the church of Antichrist. This thesis identifies the sources that Foxe and his collaborators used to compile the pre-reformation account in the first two editions of the Acts and Monuments (1563 and 1570 respectively). Foxe was producing a revisionist history that saw the past as revelation of prophecy and Scripture. So many of his sources - chronicles and annals written by monks and clergy - were suspected witnesses, no longer considered truthful or accurate. Foxe needed to sift through these texts to find 'God's truth' as he understood it, and to rehabilitate certain authorities over others. Central to this thesis is the contention that Foxe did not do this alone. He worked as part of an extended network of scholars, printers, and reformers. His predecessor and mentor, John Bale was a vital foundation for his research; the German ecclesiastical history usually entitled the Magdeburg Centuries was an enormous influence; and the 'circle' of scholars focused around
Phillpott, Matthew J.
Rectifying the 'ignoraunce of history' : John Foxe and the collaborative reformation of England's past. The sixteenth-century Acts and Monuments by John Foxe was more than a martyrology, which memorialised the persecutions of Mary I's reign. It was also an ecclesiastical history which saw the Christian past as a battle between the church of Christ and the church of Antichrist. This thesis identifies the sources that Foxe and his collaborators used to compile the pre-reformation account in the first two editions of the Acts and Monuments (1563 and 1570 respectively). Foxe was producing a revisionist history that saw the past as revelation of prophecy and Scripture. So many of his sources - chronicles and annals written by monks and clergy - were suspected witnesses, no longer considered truthful or accurate. Foxe needed to sift through these texts to find 'God's truth' as he understood it, and to rehabilitate certain authorities over others. Central to this thesis is the contention that Foxe did not do this alone. He worked as part of an extended network of scholars, printers, and reformers. His predecessor and mentor, John Bale was a vital foundation for his research; the German ecclesiastical history usually entitled the Magdeburg Centuries was an enormous influence; and the 'circle' of scholars focused around
history john_foxe collaborative reformation_england past sixteenth_century acts monuments john_foxe persecution mary reign also ecclesiastical_history saw christian past battle church christ_church identifies source collaborator use compile pre_reformation account first_two edition acts monuments respectively produce revisionist history saw past revelation prophecy scripture many source chronicle annals write monk clergy witness longer consider accurate need sift text god truth understood rehabilitate certain authority others central contention alone work part extend network scholar printer reformer predecessor mentor john vital foundation german ecclesiastical_history usually entitle centuries enormous influence circle scholar focus around