author
John Jewel
1522–1571
A leading voice of the English Reformation, this 16th-century bishop helped define the identity of the Church of England in its early years. He is best remembered for clear, forceful defenses of Protestant teaching that shaped religious debate long after his death.
1 Audiobook
The Apology of the Church of England
by John Jewel
About the author
Born in Devon on May 24, 1522, he was educated at Oxford, studying at Merton College before moving to Corpus Christi College, where he became known as a gifted scholar and teacher. His career unfolded during one of the most turbulent periods in English religious history, and his views placed him at the center of the struggles between Catholic and Protestant reform.
During the reign of Mary I, he left England and spent time in exile on the continent, a common fate for English Protestants of the period. After Elizabeth I came to the throne, he returned and in 1559 became Bishop of Salisbury, taking on an important role in defending the religious settlement of the new reign.
He is especially associated with Apology of the Church of England, a major statement of Anglican belief, and with public arguments against Roman Catholic critics. He died on September 23, 1571, but his writings continued to influence Anglican thought for generations.