Light from Old Times, J. C. Ryle
Light from Old Times, J. C. Ryle
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Light from Old Times
Or, Protestant Facts and Men

Author: J. C. Ryle

Narrator: Ulf Bjorklund

Unabridged: 14 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/02/2018


Synopsis

The nineteenth century was an age that witnessed great progress in many areas of exploration and learning. However, according to J. C. Ryle, it was an age of great ignorance too. “With all the stir made about education,” he wryly observed, “the ignorance of our own country’s history is something lamentable and appalling and depressing.” What particularly distressed Ryle was the scant knowledge of the English Reformation evident amongst his contemporaries. In this lay a grave danger: one of the reasons so many congregations drift from their evangelical foundations is their sheer ignorance of Christian history, and their lack of understanding of the major doctrinal controversies and why they matter. Therefore he taught that one of the best ways to stop Christians wavering “with every changing wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14) is to instill in them a deep love for Reformation and Puritan teaching, and a willingness to suffer for those gospel truths. The Bible often calls us to remember the past, Ryle explained, but the devil tries to make us forget. If the church is to be strengthened, then Christians must be persuaded to read the saints of the past and to learn the lessons of church history.Ryle’s abiding hope for Light From Old Times is that our souls will be stirred to prayer and action by the great testimonies of Reformers and Puritans found within its pages, and then that we will dig deeper into the writings of these spiritual giants.

About J. C. Ryle

J. C. Ryle (1816–1900) was appointed as the first bishop of Liverpool in 1880 and was the leader of the Evangelical Party in the Church of England for more than half a century. He is highly regarded for his plain and lively writings on practical and spiritual themes; their usefulness and impact have been consistently recognized and remain as wise and relevant today as when he first wrote them.

About Ulf Bjorklund

Ulf Bjorklund is a global narrator with a passion for storytelling. Elegant, continental, and versatile, he voices audio tours, e-learning with video syncing, audiobooks, video games, and more in Swedish and English.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Chase on September 15, 2021

Ryle gives us brief biographical accounts of martyrs during the Church of England and Puritan split, running parallel to the reign of Bloody Mary and the infiltration of Rome-ish leaders in England. Ryle not only details these lives, but gives great commentary on their faithful and courageous acts,......more

Goodreads review by Connor on April 01, 2025

Much of this book was 5 star quality but some of it felt more like 3 star quality. This book was all about reformers that were important in the church of England’s history. Many of them were burned at the stake and it was powerful reading about Roger’s, Hooper’s, Ridley’s, and Latimer’s commitment t......more

Goodreads review by William on July 02, 2021

Really good. A bunch of biographies of men in the Church of England who stood against the Papists and Romanizing doctrines. Several stories of martyrs. I think the most interesting parts were when Ryle gave his own thoughts and opinions on the events. You were able to see some the theology he held t......more

Goodreads review by Josiah on April 20, 2022

A great book detailing the lives and contributions of many protestant reformers. The work they completed in their lives would take most men and women several lifetimes. Their love for Christ outweighed dozens of others. Ryle chronicles their history and implications for modern readers who still can......more

Goodreads review by Anete on April 30, 2023

Inspiring! A history book gets adventurous and useful when it is written by Ryle. It is useful to learn Europe's past, to see how people lived and died for their Christian convictions. Are we able to live and die for the glory of God? Or are we shallow, weak and self-centered? Aren't we too concerned......more