Martyrs Mirror [Paperback]

 

 

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Written in the 17th.Century by Thielman J. van Braght a member of an Anabaptist congregation in Dordrect Netherlands, this exhaustive account of Martyrdom has some historical significance. It is highly unlikely that the accounts of early christian Martyrs have historical accuracy, that said there is no reason to doubt the accounts from within his time frame. Van Braght attempts to give details of the accounts of Christian Martyrdom from the time of Christ to his time era for the sake of extolling the evangelical message that originated within the period of the Protestant Reformation.

To do a thorough review of the entire book, 1100 pages, double column, would require more than a few thousand words. It would especially need to address the theological evangelical approach that the author adopts when giving his accounts of the arrests trials, charges, statements of defense etc. of the thousands of Martyrs. It would also need to address the numerous translations it received within the United States in the eighteenth Century. Evangelicalism has its roots in this time frame and much of the language, like accepting Christ as Savior is exclusive to America and this time era.

A popular biblical reference is the sermon on the mound which appears in Mathew and Luke. Andrew Clessen who was beheaded within the administration of Geirge Schenk in 1535 in a letter of testimony on page 444 is quoted as saying, "It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, which our Lord and Savior spoke and left for our instruction. "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose it for my sake, or the gospel, shall save it unto life eternal. (Mathew 16:25 and Luke 9:24) A thread of acceptance of their fate, having made their choice, runs throughout the narratives portrayed within the entire book. The language used to describe the situations invariably follows similar biblical references, thought patterns and conclusions.

This book needs to be scrutinized by 21st. century historians, philosophers, and theologians because of it's subject, "Martyrs". Given the influx and attention to Muslim Martyrs in todays post 9/11 time era, a question that needs examination is the similarity or dissimilarity of Christian Martyrs vs. Muslim Martyrs. The details of Christian Martyrs as portrayed by Van Braght in this exhaustive account inevitably points to execution by the authorities as a result of actions taken by the Anabaptists which in many cases was the simple act of Re-Baptism.

A similar label is given to Muslim Martyrs who strap on suicide belts and blow themselves up for whatever reasons. This question needs to be examined as there is a distinct differance between the two and this book is significant in pointing out the differance. A must read to anyone interested in studying religion you will need more than a day or two. :)

I am reading this book with fascination. It is a must read and an eye opener for anyone who wishes to discover the history of the church of the middle ages. This book will uncover years of history not discussed in most religious universities and churches today. The writers of this book discuss the Church of God and its history. Sabbatarians will find it useful in discovering that the Waldenses and Moravian/Bohemian Brethren were related, actually, the same peoples. There are many references to the church of God and how the church of God was persecuted and pronounced anathema. The number of martyrs are in in the multiples of thousands. 4000 known names, but references to 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s martyred by various methods as horrifying as it may seem, christians killing christians in the name of Jesus Christ who died for us all. Anyone desiring to know the truth about this history, specific facts retold in minute detail about the many who died for their faith. After the Bible itself, this ranks as one of the most important reference works to assist, encourage and enlighten the christian who feels that this time is stressful. Here are people who gave their lives for their beliefs. Their walk with God was one where they literally gave their all.

This book is full of wisdom, truth and inspiration. Worth every dime spent!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!!
Martyr's Mirror is an excellent history of more than 4,000 martyrs, spanning from the time of Christ through the mid- 17th century. Read more

Published on May 9 2002 by Benjamin Liscano

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Stunning
Martyr's Mirror is a phenomenal work of Christian literature. I stumbled onto it a year ago and have not yet been able to put it down. Read more

Published on Nov 29 2001 by Classic City DBT Fan

5.0 out of 5 stars They don't make people like that anymore, but God can.
Think of this volume as exciting spiritual archaeology. Through those pages, you can look into the past, into the hearts of thousands who approached God differently, who... Read more

Published on Jun 26 2001 by Michael Mcginnis

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of Christian History
This book provides a history of solid Christian doctrine and martyrdom from the time of Christ to 1660. Read more

Published on Oct 21 1998 by Marc G. Heatherington

5.0 out of 5 stars It is a tragedy for a Christian to die a natural death.
"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church!" This truism is very ably demonstrated by the author. Read more

Published on Jun 17 1998

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