Review of Douglas Bond, “The Mighty Weakness of John Knox”
by Douglas Bond
Many Christian people in America, and even in Scotland, have not heard of John Knox. Or if they have, they know him only as a “fiery Scottish reformer” who preached damnation sermons and bullied the lovely Mary, Queen of Scots. Little admired or even noticed in his native Scotland—his tomb lies under a paved parking lot—John Knox is fading from the national memory. And largely ignored by the Presbyterian churches of the world, even though he is considered the father of Presbyterianism, John Knox, when he is remembered, is pictured as an embarrassing “odd uncle,” a frightfully bigoted and unpleasant fellow who doesn’t at all fit in with our enlightened and ecumenical environment.
Is it fair that we are relegating Knox to a dusty bookshelf of history, or are we missing something very important? Douglas Bond has done us all a favor by bringing this sixteenth century reformer into the light for us to see. Unlike the common misconception, Knox was not a fire-breathing, insensitive bully. Rather, he was small, naturally timid, and totally lacking in self-confidence. Yet, he managed to lead the Reformation of the church in Scotland and to establish the Presbyterian system there, from where it spread to many countries around the world.
For the rest, see:
http://www.wrs.edu/review-of-douglas-bond-the-mighty-weakness-of-john-knox/
No comments:
Post a Comment