Christian Martyr - John Rogers

John Rogers was the first to be martyred behind the Protestant movement which came under the order of Mary I of England - a.k.a. 'Bloody Mary.'

He was a Catholic priest who converted to Protestantism and became a Bible translator, minister and commentator for his new found faith.

His conversion comes after he had met and became friends with the renown scholar William Tyndale. At the time of their meeting, Tyndale was working on his a project that dealt with an Bible translation that was to be done in English.

Eventually Tyndale would himself suffer martyrdom, by being tied to the stake and then strangled. After he was strangled to death, his body was then burned leaving his English Bible translation incomplete.

John Rogers soon after, went back to England and started pastoring a church. Rogers was determined to finish Tyndale's work, so he went out and obtained a license that would allow him to print a complete English language Bible.

Rogers would use the completed translation notes from Tyndale which included all of the notes to the New Testament and part of the Old Testament. He also used Bible translator Miles Coverdale translation notes, which resulted in a complete English translation and commentary on the Bible.

Now most would seem to give Rogers credit for having the first completed English translation of the Bible which was done in the year 1537. But this would go against the fact that Miles Coverdale had finished his complete English translation of the Bible in the year of 1535.

I must say that this provides for an interesting dilemma indeed? But for credit sake, I would agree that Rogers had the first English language commentary that was done on the Bible.

With the martyrdom of Tyndale, Rogers knew that he would have to be careful when it came to printing his English Bible translation, so he used a fictitious name which was "Thomas Matthews."

Because of Rogers fictitious name, the 'Matthews Bible' was put forth and this work would be used to further the work on the 'Bishop Bible' and the 'King James.'

It's at this time, that Protestantism would be finally accepted in England, thanks to Edward VI who was England's first Protestant ruler. But after Edward VI had passed away, Mary I who was his half sister had taken the throne.

Now she was a Roman Catholic who opposed the Protestant movement and is credited with restoring England back to Roman Catholicism after her half brother Edward VI had died.

Within three days after Mary I had enter London, Rogers had preached a message urging everyone to stay true to their doctrines that they had been taught.

Shortly after, Rogers was put under house arrest and would eventually be transferred to the infamous 'Newgate Prison.' It was at this prison that Rogers would be sentence to death.

Rogers was offered a chance to live and avoid execution if he would recant Protestantism and convert back to Catholicism. He refused this deal and was immediately burned at the stake on this day February 4, 1555.

John Rogers became the first Protestant martyr which would lead to many more under the rule of Mary I - a.k.a. 'Bloody Mary.'

1) Stephen the Deacon

2) James the Apostle

3) Philip the Apostle

4) Matthew the Apostle

5) Andrew the Apostle

6) Matthias the Apostle

7) <-CURRENT PAGE->

8) Alban of Verlamium