John Knox

John Knox
1513-1572
Scottish reformer. Born in Scotland, John Knox was ordained as a Catholic priest between 1530 and 1540. He was converted to Christ after he met two Bible-believing Christians, Wishart and Beacon. Wishart was burned at the stake in 1546, and shortly afterwards Knox was arrested by the authorities and made a galley slave for 19 months.

He went to England in 1549 and preached the Bible until the reign of Bloody Mary, during which time he lived in Frankfort, Germany. There he came under the influence of Calvin.

He returned to Scotland after several years in Geneva, and began preaching against the Papal Church. He was arrested under Queen Mary Stuart in 1560 and tried for treason, but was acquitted.

He spent his remaining years preaching and lecturing in Edinburgh and St. Andrews. Above all others, he was the maker of Protestant Scotland. He preached hellfire and damnation to Queen Mary of Scotland, and also to Bloody Mary, queen of England. Of him it was said, “Here is one who never feared the face of man.”

ARTIST’S NOTE: The dominating color red is indicative of Knox, who was a red-haired Scotsman. It also stands for the times of Bloody Mary, fire at the stake, and the spilled blood of Scotch Protestants.

Ruckman ’66