Today in Church History John Knox, Scottish Reformation On
November 24, 1572, Scottish reformer John Knox died in
Edinburgh. Born in 1514, Knox trained for the priesthood and was
converted under George Wishart, an early martyr of the Scottish
Reformation. While pastoring in St. Andrews, Knox was imprisoned
after Wishart's death and served for 19 months as a galley
slave. After his release he pastored in England until Mary Tudor
ascended the throne, when he escaped to the continent, where he
studied under John Calvin and Heinrich Bullinger. Knox described
Geneva as "the most perfect school of Christ on earth since the
apostles," and during his exile he developed his defense for
rebellion against idolatrous magistrates and female sovereigns.
Upon his return to Scotland in 1559 he led in the development of
the Scottish Reformed Church, introducing Reformed worship in
his Forme of Prayers and Presbyterian polity in his Book of
Discipline. In addition, his Scottish Confession, approved by
the Scottish Parliament i