John Frith

author

John Frith

1503–1533

A brilliant young scholar of the early English Reformation, this priest and writer challenged major Church teachings and paid for it with his life. His courage, sharp mind, and clear prose made him one of the best-known Protestant martyrs of Tudor England.

1 Audiobook

A boke made by John Fryth, prysoner in the Tower of London answerynge unto M. Mores letter, which he wrote agaynst the fyrste lytle treatyse that John Fryth made, concernynge the sacramente of the body and bloude of Christ

A boke made by John Fryth, prysoner in the Tower of London answerynge unto M. Mores letter, which he wrote agaynst the fyrste lytle treatyse that John Fryth made, concernynge the sacramente of the body and bloude of Christ

by John Frith

About the author

Born in Kent around 1503, John Frith was educated at Eton and King’s College, Cambridge, where he gained a reputation for exceptional learning. He later went to Oxford, and as he studied the New Testament and the ideas of reform-minded thinkers, he became increasingly critical of doctrines he believed were not grounded in scripture.

Frith became a close associate of William Tyndale and wrote in defense of Protestant reform. He argued against teachings such as purgatory and disputed the doctrine of transubstantiation, placing him in direct conflict with church authorities. Even in a time of fierce religious division, he was noted for thoughtful writing and for supporting a more tolerant approach to matters of conscience.

He was arrested in London, examined for heresy, and condemned under Henry VIII’s reign. On July 4, 1533, he was burned at the stake at Smithfield. Although he died young, Frith’s writings and martyrdom helped secure his place among the important early voices of the English Reformation.