True Obedience: Tudor Protestants and Resistance to Tyranny

by Gerry Bowler

The sixteenth century was one of fierce religious wars, rebellions, and assassinations marred a continent supposedly under the sway of a faith whose founder urged believers to turn the other cheek. As Catholics and Protestants battled for supremacy or survival, their priests, intellectuals and men at arms took to their pens to defend their right to commit violence in defence of their religion. In Tudor England, which saw bewildering changes of religion as Edward, Mary and Elizabeth succeeded their father Henry VIII on the throne, those persecuted under one monarch might be a persecutor under the next. Many wondered if their ruler was a tyrant and, if so, could he or she be opposed by force? Could the nobility justly rise against the throne? Could a divinely inspired murderer slay the monarch? Was resistance the truest form of obedience to God or one’s country? This book is about those Protestants who considered those questions and who came to advocate legitimate violence against authority. Puritan preachers, renegade adventurers, penniless refugees, angry Parliamentarians, and exiled bishops all contributed to this debate. Tyrannicide, rebel plots, the deposition of kings, and the overthrow of queens in the name of religion or patriotism were the subjects of the writings discussed here. This was a vitally important issue in a century when the religious future of England and Europe was being decided not only on the battle-field but also on the pages of books which were meant to inspire men and women to belief and action, to martyrdom and violence.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2018