The Protestant Reformation: John Knox

This is the most comprehensive biography of John Knox since Hume Brown's major study, published more than seventy years ago. The personality of Knox has alternately fascinated and appalled his posterity. The aristocratic eighteenth century condemned him; the Puritanical and radical nineteenth century admired him. Mr. Ridley's twentieth-century view is that Knox, despite his intolerance and the tyranny of his Church Sessions, was a great contributor to the struggle for human freedom. One can appreciate the tribute that was paid to him, ten years after his death, by his English Puritan follower, John Field. "What a heroical and bold spirit he was!" [Book jacket].

The purpose of this study is to present the major aspects(e.g.,concerning authority,God,salvation,the church,politics) of John Knox's thought.This work is not another biography of Knox nor a history of the Scottish Reformation.Nevertheless,this study hopes to avoid the pitfall of divorcing Knox's thought from his social and intellectual milieu.The events and the social,intellectual,and spiritual currents of the sixteenth century obviously influenced Knox.In this sense reference will be made to the sources of his thought,but no extensive attempt will be made to determine the precise influences on him.Again,Knox has had considerable impact on his native land,upon the Presbyterian faith throughout the world, and to some extent upon England and Puritanism generally.But no effort will be made to gauge the degree of this influence.And since Knox's thought stood essentially within the theological mainstream of the Magisterial Reformation,which aspired to a Christian commonwealth, and primarily the Reformed tradition,many references will be made to Luther,Zwingli,and Calvin.Nonetheless,this work is not intended as a comparative study in historical theology.-Introduction

"A fresh account of the development of Scottish theology - from the Reformation to the nineteenth century." "T. F. Torrance discusses the theology of John Knox, the Reformers and their immediate successors, the Solemn League and Covenant, the politicisation of theology, the Federal Theology of the Westminster Calvinists, the rejection by the Kirk of its profoundest theologian John McLeod Campbell and the continuing tension between Reformation and Westminster theology until modern times." "He explores the nature of Scottish theology and the Scottish Enlightenment through studies of 'Moderates' and 'Evangelicals' and their relationships, Episcopalian Calvinists such as Bishop Robert Leighton, and the rise of missions to heathen nations." "Throughout the book, the central themes are the doctrine of God and the atoning death of Christ, and the nature of the gospel and of faith. Professor Torrance suggests how the Churches can find the way behind their divisions to this faith and to their Biblical and Reformation roots. His call is for theological healing and reconciliation - to which this book is dedicated."--Jacket.

Professor Knox considers the several attitudes towards Christ's humanity adopted by the Early Church.

This book contains the Croall Lectures which were delivered in New College,Edinburgh,early in 1960.The Croall Lecturer is required to deal with a theological subject;and the occasion-the opening of the quater-centenary year of the Scottish Reformation-dictated a subject connected with that event.It seemed to me that this was an opportunity to make some contribution to a curiously neglected task-the systematic study of John Knox's teaching.-Preface.