The Oxford English Dictionary defines martyrdom as someone's death or suffering as a result of promoting or refusing to abandon a religious faith. In mid-16th century England, there were few means to convey a powerful message over the world through a book, so martyrdom was an excellent topic for John Foxe. It appeals to people for two reasons: death, and the fact that it occurred in protest rather than out of anger (ex: the success of Joan of Arc). Foxe used this in [His] Book of Martyrs, and as a result, we now have a compelling assessment of martyrdom's great impact on the spread of the gospel. At the time John Foxe wrote his book, England was in serious religious turmoil. The official religion of the country changed 4 times in 30 years, and each change of religion was accompanied by persecution of those who would not change their beliefs. …show more content…
John Rogers was the Vicar of St. Sepulchre's, and Reader of St. Paul's, London. His original preaching of the gospel was legal, and he did so in St. Pauls Cathedral until the reign of Queen Mary, where “the gospel and true religion were banished (Foxe, 205).” He then was decreed execution by burning, and though he was given multiple chances to deny his faith and walk away unscathed, “...could nothing move him but that he constantly and cheerfully took his death with wonderful patience, in the defence and quarrel of the gospel of Christ (Foxe, 207)." Seeing the martyrs' unwavering devotion and readiness to die for their ideas, particularly Rodgers', made the Protestant gospel appear believable and worthy of acceptance. His story, and Foxe’s book more broadly, played a key role in spreading Protestant theology and identity not just in England, but also among the settlers of the American colonies in the generations that