1497 HT: Dan Graves NEXT TO MARTIN LUTHER, one man did more than all others to create Lutheran theology. That was Philip Melanchthon, who was born on this day, 16 February 1497 in the little town of Bretten, Germany. Someone noted that the time was six minutes after 7 p.m. He had godly parents, his father…
1860 HT: Christian History Institute James Hudson Taylor became a Christian at seventeen through reading a tract, and determined to become a missionary to China. In preparation for this he studied Mandarin, Bible languages, Latin, and medicine. He arrived in China in 1854 and was greeted by two catastrophes in quick succession—a fire destroyed his…
1717 HT: Diane Severance Throughout their history, the Welsh have been great singers; and hymns have been among their favorite songs. One of their most popular hymns is “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.” Crowds at rugby matches or other gatherings have been known to break out singing it. On this day, February 11, l7l7 was born…
1555 HT: Dan Graves All John Hooper wanted to do was to pray. He went to bed at five the evening before, then rose early, on this day, February 9, 1555, so that he might pray in the early hours of the morning. When it was light, he asked that no one be allowed into his…
356 HT: Christianity.com The historic Christian faith was forged in turbulent times and under perilous conditions. The creeds and doctrines that shaped our Christian identity emerged from intense theological battles. There were times of physical violence in the process of defining the central teachings of the faith. For example, the question of exactly who Jesus was. Here…
1945 HT: Christian History Institute BUCHENWALD was among the first and largest of the German concentration camps. Although it was not officially an extermination camp, a large number of its inmates died from overwork and starvation, or by execution, torture, and cruel experiments. On this day 7 February 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was transferred from Tegel…
1564 HT: Christianity.com On this day, February 6, 1564, an era came to an end. The man who had done as much as any other to forge the theology of the Reformation, preached his last sermon. Unable to walk, John Calvin was carried to church in a chair. His mouth filled with blood as he spoke and…
1555 HT: Dan Graves John Rogers was burned to death at the stake at Smithfield, England, on this Monday morning, February 4, 1555. Among the onlookers who encouraged him were his own children. Who was John Rogers, and what monstrous crime had earned him this cruel death? Who was John Rogers? Born about 1500, Rogers was…
1516 HT: Dan Graves Erasmus never joined the Protestant movement, but many scholars would argue he set the stage for the Reformers. Erasmus loaded the cannon that Luther fired. The greatest scholar of his day, Erasmus rammed two shots into the barrel of the Reformation. The first shot was a satire titled, The Praise of Folly, which…
1955 HT: Dan Graves In his last public appearance, Methodist layman John Mott said, “While life lasts, I am an evangelist.” The man who did as much as anyone to evangelize the world and unite divided denominations, died on this day, January 31, 1955 in Orlando, Florida. He was eighty-nine years old. Death was a place…