Faithful Admonition

Faithful Admonition was a work published in 1554 by John Knox, a key leader of the Scottish Reformation. The book was addressed to Protestants remaining in England and was characterized by its extremism and intemperate language. It emerged from Knox's concerns about the potential for a ruler's personal beliefs to dictate a nation's religion, particularly following the accession of the Roman Catholic Queen Mary Tudor to the English throne. The work articulated Knox's belief that Protestant subjects had the right to resist a ruler who threatened their faith. However, its harsh tone alienated many in England and exacerbated the suffering of those to whom it was addressed.1