John Jewel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Jewel
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| Born | May 24, 1522 Berrynarbor, Devon
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| Died | September 23, 1571 (aged 49) Monkton Farleigh, Wiltshire
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| Education | Merton College, Oxford and Corpus Christi College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Bishop of Salisbury |
| Known for | Author of the Apology of the Church of England |
John Jewel (also known as Jewell) was an important English leader in the church. He was born on May 24, 1522, in Devon, England. From 1559 until his death in 1571, he served as the Bishop of Salisbury. He is best known for writing a book called Apology of the Church of England. This book explained and defended the beliefs of the Church of England during a time of big changes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Jewel was the youngest son of John Jewel and Alice Bellamye. He grew up in a place called Bowden, in Berry Narbor, Devon.
He started his education with his uncle, John Bellamy, and other teachers. In July 1535, he went to Merton College, Oxford. Later, in 1539, he became a scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
He earned his first degree (BA) in 1540 and a master's degree (MA) in 1545. He also became a fellow (a senior member) at his college in 1542.
Teaching at Oxford
John Jewel became a well-known teacher at Oxford. After 1547, he was a main student of Pietro Martire Vermigli, who was known as Peter Martyr in England.
In 1552, Jewel earned another degree (BD). He also became the vicar (a type of priest) of Sunningwell, near Oxford. He was also chosen as the public speaker for the university. In this role, he had to write a letter to congratulate Queen Mary I when she became queen.
Challenges During Queen Mary's Reign
In 1554, John Jewel helped as a notary (someone who records official statements) for Thomas Cranmer and Nicholas Ridley. These two important church leaders were involved in a religious debate.
However, things became difficult for Protestants under Queen Mary I, who was Catholic. Jewel was suspected of not agreeing with the Catholic Church. He had to leave Oxford and went to London. From there, he fled to Europe, reaching Frankfort in March 1555.
He later joined Peter Martyr in Strasbourg and then went to Zürich. He also visited Padua in Italy.
Role During Queen Elizabeth I's Reign
When Queen Elizabeth I became queen, John Jewel returned to England. He worked hard to help set up what is now called the Elizabethan Settlement. This was a way to find a balance in the Church of England between different religious ideas.
Jewel's views were different from those of the Puritans, who wanted more extreme changes. In fact, in his last sermon, he strongly argued against the Puritans. He thought they were causing more problems than the Roman Catholics he had been debating.
Defending the Church of England
In 1559, John Jewel was chosen to debate with "Romanists" (Roman Catholics) at a meeting in Westminster. He also gave an important sermon at St Paul's Cross in London in June. Later that year, he helped the queen's officials visit churches in western England.
He was officially made the Bishop of Salisbury on July 27, 1559. However, he was not fully made a bishop until January 21, 1560.
As bishop, Jewel became the main writer who defended the Elizabethan Settlement. In November 1559, he gave a famous sermon at St Paul's Cross. He challenged anyone to prove the Roman Catholic beliefs using the Bible, early church councils, or writings from the first 600 years after Christ.
He repeated this challenge in 1560, and a priest named Dr. Henry Cole accepted it. This led to a "Great Controversy" with many debates. It shaped how English reformers and Roman Catholic writers argued for a long time.
Apology of the Church of England
One of the most important results of these debates was Jewel's book, Apologia ecclesiae Anglicanae. This means Apology of the Church of England. It was published in 1562.
This book was the first clear statement of the Church of England's position against the Roman Catholic Church. It became the foundation for many future arguments. Jewel continued to explain the Church of England's views in public speeches, especially at Paul's Cross.
The Apology was translated into English by Anne Bacon. This helped more people understand the ideas behind the Church of England. It was a big step in explaining why the Church of England was right.
Later Years and Legacy
A more challenging opponent for Jewel was Thomas Harding. Harding was an old friend from Oxford. Jewel had removed Harding from his church position in Salisbury because Harding refused to follow the new Church of England rules.
Harding wrote a detailed book against Jewel in 1564. Jewel replied with his own book in 1565. Harding then wrote another book, and Jewel wrote a "Defence of the Apology" in 1566 and 1567. These writers debated many topics about the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. Jewel's ideas were later officially supported by the Church of England.
Challenges from Puritans
Later in his life, Jewel also faced criticism from a different group: the Puritans. Their arguments did not satisfy some English nonconformists (people who did not follow the official church rules). Jewel even had to refuse a church position to his friend Lawrence Humphrey. Humphrey would not wear a surplice, which was a required church garment.
The government often asked Jewel for his advice on important matters, like England's stance on the Council of Trent (a Catholic meeting). Because of political reasons, he became more and more against the demands of the Puritans. He even wrote a book against Thomas Cartwright, a Puritan leader. This book was published after Jewel's death.
Death and Burial
John Jewel became ill after giving a sermon in Lacock, Wiltshire. He was taken to the bishop's house at Monkton Farleigh Manor, where he died on September 23, 1571.
He was buried in Salisbury Cathedral. He had built a library there during his time as bishop. Richard Hooker, a famous writer, said Jewel was "the worthiest divine that Christendom hath bred for some hundreds of years." Hooker was one of the boys Jewel helped prepare for university. Hooker's important book, Ecclesiastical Polity, was greatly influenced by Jewel's teaching.
Jewel's writings were collected and published in 1609. The Apology was even ordered to be placed in churches, sometimes chained to the lectern (a stand for books).
A house at Bishop Wordsworth's School in Salisbury is named after him. The houses at the school are all named after famous Bishops of Salisbury.
Jewel's Apology of the Church of England
After leaders like Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin started the Protestant Reformation, the movement became more about nations and kingdoms. It was less about just one person's ideas.
John Jewel's 1562 book, Apology of the Church of England, was very important for its political and historical meaning. It tried to explain the beliefs of the Church of England under Elizabeth I. It also answered the accusations from Roman Catholics against the Protestants.
Jewel wrote that the book was meant to:
". . . give an account of our faith, and to answer truly and publicly, what hath been publicly objected against us, that the whole world may see the parts and reasons of that faith, which so many good men have valued above their lives . . . ." (I.10)
He wanted everyone to see if their faith, which followed the words of Christ and the apostles, was truly "the rage of a sort of madmen." (I.17)
Jewel answered charges of heresy (beliefs against official church teachings). He tried to show that the Church of England and the whole protestant reformation were true and lawful. He argued that they followed the Bible, the apostles, the early church fathers (like Augustine), and church councils. Jewel stated, "Thus we have been taught by Christ, by the apostles and holy fathers; and we do faithfully teach the people of God the same things . . ." (III.2).
Authority in the Church
A main point of the Apology was defending the Bible as the basis of authority in the Church of England. This was against the Catholic idea that the Church itself had the power to decide what was true. The book starts by explaining and supporting the Nicene Creed, a basic statement of Christian belief. Many Protestant reformers wanted to show they were following traditional Christian teachings.
Salvation and Faith
Unlike some other Protestant writings, Jewel's Apology focused more on church teachings than on how people are saved. However, it does have a clear statement about salvation:
"We say that man is born in sin and leadeth his life in sin . . . that the most holy man is an unprofitable servant . . . and that there is no mortal who can be justified in the sight of God by his own deserts; and therefore our only refuge and safety is in the mercy of God the Father, by Jesus Christ . . . ." (II.21)
This means that people cannot earn their salvation through their own good deeds. Instead, they must trust in God's mercy through Jesus Christ.
Jewel made it clear that salvation comes through faith in Christ. He said, "It is our faith . . . which applies the death and cross of Christ to us" (II.17). He defined true, saving faith as a "living faith" (II.23).
When Jewel talked about the sacraments (special church ceremonies), he stressed that it was the person's faith, not just the ceremony itself, that brought salvation. He quoted early church leaders who said that faith "justifies, and not the sacrament." (II.17)
He also said, "For although we do not touch Christ with our teeth and lips, yet we hold and press him by faith, mind, and spirit" (II.15). This means that even though we don't physically touch Christ in the sacraments, we connect with him through our faith.
However, Jewel also taught that true faith is not lazy. It leads to "good works," as the Bible says in Ephesians 2:10. He believed that Christ lives in our hearts through faith, and Christians are called to live holy lives.
Church Leadership
Much of Jewel's Apology talks about the church itself. He criticized some Roman Catholic practices, like the idea that priests have special powers. He also disagreed with the Pope's claim to be the "vicar general of Christ" (Christ's main representative on Earth).
Jewel listed three church roles: deacon, presbyter (priest), and bishop. He believed the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome, should be seen as equal to other church leaders. Jewel felt the Pope had become too powerful and "usurps a power which belongs not to him." (II.6) He believed the Pope should only be judged by how well he performs the duties of a bishop, such as teaching and giving sacraments.
Jewel compared the Pope to "Lucifer" and said the Pope had "become the forerunner of antichrist" (II.6). This shows how strongly he felt about the Pope's power.
Sacraments
Jewel's ideas about sacraments were similar to other early Protestant reformers. He defined sacraments as "sacred signs and ceremonies which Christ commanded us to use, that he might by them represent to our eyes the mysteries of our salvation . . ." (II.11).
Like other early Protestants, Jewel recognized two main sacraments: baptism and the Eucharist (also called Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper). Baptism, he said, is a sign of sins being forgiven and represents being washed clean in Christ's blood (II.13). The Eucharist is a sign of Christ's body and blood, representing his death and resurrection (II.14). It helps Christians remember Christ's sacrifice and gives them hope for eternal life.
Jewel's book also criticized many practices in the Roman Catholic Church. These included allowing priests to marry, which Jewel supported (II.9). He also spoke against the idea of the mass being a sacrifice and the worship of saints (II.20). He disagreed with private confession and believed the church service should be in the common language of the people, not Latin (II.19).
Jewel argued that the Church of England had left the Roman Catholic Church because the Roman Catholic Church had moved away from the Bible and early church teachings. He believed that the Protestant churches were bringing back the true Christian church.
He wrote:
"We have departed from that church, which they had made a den of thieves . . . and have sought the certain way of religion out of the sacred Scriptures . . . and have returned to the primitive church of the ancient fathers and apostles . . . ." (Conclusion.1)
While Jewel's Apology explained the religious reasons for the English Reformation, this change in England was also greatly influenced by politics. Jewel's book helps us understand the main issues, both religious and political, of the English Reformation and the wider Reformation movement.
Czech Translation
Jewel's Apology was even translated into the Czech language. It was printed in Prague in 1619, during a time of conflict called the Bohemian Revolt. The Czech title of the translation was Apologia, to jest dostečná obrana víry a náboženství církví evangelických.
