# John Knox



## Prufrock (Jan 16, 2009)

So...I basically know nothing about Knox or his teaching. Everyone knows who he is, but I've never really seen his name come up in theological literature, or any of his work or teaching referenced...ever. Why is that?

Has anyone here done grad work or anything in which they studied Knox? (or has anyone here even studied him extensively on their own, for that matter?)

If there is a _good_ secondary source out there on his life and his teachings/works, I would love to know (I don't want to spend several books sifting through to find a good one, if you already know the "standard" on the subject).


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## PresbyDane (Jan 16, 2009)




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## Jon 316 (Jan 16, 2009)

I dont know if this is 'standard' but I have a book published by the Scottish Reformation Society called _Plain Mr Knox_ 1st published 1960 reproduced 1972. Its very much biographical. There may of course be something better.


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## Marrow Man (Jan 16, 2009)

For a short, easy-to-read book, I would suggest Doug Wilson's _For Kirk and Covenant: The Stalwart Courage of John Knox_. It is not overly scholarly and it smacks of _hagiographia_ at times, but it is overall a pretty decent biography. Here's a link.


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## Jon 316 (Jan 16, 2009)

forgot to say Plain Mr Knox is written by E.Whitley


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## Prufrock (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks so far, guys. Do either of these books go into detail regarding Knox's understanding of 1.) Covenant; 2.) Worship; 3.) Ecclesiology; 4.) Soteriology, etc?


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## Marrow Man (Jan 16, 2009)

Wilson's book is probably not going to help you out here. It's been 5 or 6 years since I've read it, but it is more of an historical biography rather than an analysis of his theology.


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## Dieter Schneider (Jan 17, 2009)

Google for 'david campbell John knox' and also check my blog (scroll for John Knox).


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Jan 17, 2009)

The Life of Knox, by McCrie is the standard Scottish work on Knox. It may be a bit overzealous in praise of the Scottish Reformer, but it is worth the read.


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## Rangerus (Jan 17, 2009)

Dieter Schneider said:


> Google for 'david campbell John knox' and also check my blog (scroll for John Knox).



Thanks for sharing your blog. sir, that is quite a collection you have there.


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 17, 2009)

Knox had a hand in the 1560 Scots Confession of Faith and the First Book of Discipline. The standard edition of his works is still the 6 volume set edited mostly by David Laing. It is hard to find all the volumes for some reason in a single search but I managed to get them all at Google books I think.
Works, volume 1 (essentially History of the Reformation with appendices)
Works, volume 2 (history continued, 1560 Confession, books of discipline, )
Works, volume 3 (including his work on the idolatry of the Mass)
Works, volume 4 (troubles at Frankfurt among other things)
Works, volume 5 (includes his work on Predestination which takes up over 400 pages of the volume)
Works, volume 6 (some biographical material and letters)


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## Ginny Dohms (Jan 17, 2009)

Prufrock said:


> So...I basically know nothing about Knox or his teaching.



Still Waters Revival Books sells lots of his stuff. Just to list some:

Against an Anabaptist: In Defense of Predestination

Against Apostasy and Indifference

Against Romish Rites and Political and Ecclesiastical Tyranny

An Admonition to Flee Idolatry, Romanism and All False Worship
An Answer to a Jesuit: The Marks of a True Church and Ministry

The Execution of Servetus for Blasphemy, Heresy, Obstinate Anabaptism, Defended

First and Second Books of Discipline

The Genevan Book of Church Order. The Form of Prayers and Ministration of the Sacraments, etc. Used in the English Congregation at Geneva in 1556

Great Thoughts from Knox

John Knox Debates Theonomy, Idolatry and Civil Resistance in the General Assembly of 1564

John Knox's Only Written Sermon

National Repentance and Reformation

On Justification by Faith

On Rebellion (Edited by Roger Mason)

The Order of Excommunication and of Public Repentance (1567)

Reformation, Revolution and Romanism: An Appeal to the Scottish Nobility (1558)

Scottish Confession of Faith (1560)

Select Practical Writings of John Knox (1845 edition)

Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises and Expositions to the Year 1559

Warning Against the Anabaptists

What to Do When There Is No Faithful Church in Your Area

The Works of John Knox (6 volumes)

Author K (Summaries by Reg Barrow & Others -- Free Discount Christian Mail Order Catalogue -- Classic Calvinistic Books by Calvin, Knox, Luther, Rutherford, Gillespie, other Westminster Divines, Steele, Price, etc.)

All can be found at the link above along with prices for each book. Some books are excerpts from other books, but the descriptions at their site give lots of details, as well as the length of each book.


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## tgoerz (Feb 4, 2009)

You might try Knox's book 'The Scottish Reformation'. 

It is 1 of 2 primary sources used by every researcher on Knox and the Scottish reformation. The other being Knox's 'Works'.

A recent biography by Dr Rosalind Marshall of the U. of Edinburgh has gotten very good reviews. 

It doesn't contain a whole lot on his theology, however.

In all my research on the Scottish Reformation, I have yet to find a technical analysis of Knox's theology.


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## brianeschen (Feb 4, 2009)

Ginny Dohms said:


> Prufrock said:
> 
> 
> > So...I basically know nothing about Knox or his teaching.
> ...



Are you familiar with the quality of the printing of these books . . . in terms of readability?


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## Southern Presbyterian (Feb 4, 2009)

Here are some sermons. There is a lot of "meat" here, if you take the time to listen.

John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, 1

John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, 2

John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, 3

John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, 4

John Knox and teh Scottish Reformation, 5


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## brianeschen (Feb 4, 2009)

Southern Presbyterian said:


> Here are some sermons. There is a lot of "meat" here, if you take the time to listen.
> 
> John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, 1
> 
> ...


I concur. I have listened to these (as well as the whole series - over 40 lessons) and they are excellent.


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## tgoerz (Feb 4, 2009)

One thing I forgot to mention......Knox was extremely influential...he and 3 others...formulated the First Scottish Confession(1560). You can find it in Schaff's 'Creeds of Christendom' volume III.


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