John Knox and the Scottish Reformation: Recommended Resources

The Scottish Reformation

Nigel Cameron, David Wright, David Lachman, and Donald Meek, editors, Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology (InterVarsity, 1993). A remarkably rich and useful source, covering all of Scottish church history and theology.
Ian B. Cowan, The Scottish Reformation: Church and Society in Sixteenth Century Scotland (St. Martin’s, 1982). One of the best studies of the social background of the Scottish Reformation.
Gordon Donaldson, The Scottish Reformation (Cambridge, 1960, 1972). For many years the standard. Though now largely superseded, it still contains great value. The author had a mastery of contemporary documents.
James Kirk, Patterns of Reform: Continuity and Change in the Reformation Kirk (T.&T. Clark, 1989). A meticulous, magisterial study of the background and context of the Reformation, with full references to contemporary sources.
Jenny Wormald, Court, Kirk and Community: Scotland 1470–1625 (London, 1981; reprinted Edinburgh 1991). A lively, short account that sets the Reformation in the context of politics and the larger society.

Richard L. Greaves, Theology and Revolution in the Scottish Reformation: Studies in the Thought of John Knox (Christian University, 1980). Looks at Knox’s views on a variety of matters, showing him to be one of the most progressive of reformers.
Richard G. Kyle, The Mind of John Knox (Coronado, 1984). Probably the definitive study of Knox’s thought.
Steward Lamont, The Swordbearer: John Knox and the European Reformation (Hodder and Stoughton, 1991). A provocative and arresting popular study that raises many questions about the man (and the way he is swallowed up by his legend).
Eustace Percy, John Knox (Hodder and Stoughton, 1937, 1964). Though dated, many still reckon it as the best popular biography of Knox—very readable.
W. Stanford Reid, Trumpeter of God: A Biography of John Knox (Baker, 1974). Knox’s life as seen against the backdrop of the era’s politics.
Jasper Ridley, John Knox (Oxford, 1968). A long, massively learned, and thorough study.
Henry Sefton, John Knox (Edinburgh, 1993). An extremely useful volume of selections with an introduction and short biography. Certainly the best place to begin.

W. Croft Dickinson, editor, John Knox’s History of the Reformation in Scotland, 2 volumes (Philosophical Library, 1950). Knox’s major work and a few other key documents.
C.J. Guthrie, editor, The History of the Reformation of Religion within the Realm of Scotland Written by John Knox (Banner of Truth Trust, 1898, 1982). A 350-page condensation of Knox’s major work.
David Laing, editor, The Works of John Knox, 6 volumes (Edinburgh, 1846–64). All of Knox’s writings and letters.
Roger Mason, editor, John Knox on Rebellion (Cambridge, 1994). Knox’s writings that show forth his political views, including First Blast of the Trumpet.

Iain Torrance is a lecturer in divinity at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is co-editor of the Scottish Journal of Theology.