Verse of the day 23

John Hooper has been called the “stubborn reformer” or the “father of non-conformity”. After living as a fugitive in Catholic Europe, this independent minded preacher was appointed bishop of Gloucester during the infant years of the Anglican church. He was disgusted by the arrogant and elitist attitude of the bishops, and adamantly refused to wear the traditional robes. This led to a short imprisonment and a reluctant compromise. As a Bishop, he chose to live a life of poverty and frequently advocated for relief to the poor.

When Mary Tutor came to the throne, the Catholic regime returned with violent vigour. One of Mary’s first acts in her attempt to purge the county from Protestantism was to arrest bishop Hooper. When he refused to deny his convictions, he was sent back to Gloucester where he was burned alive in front of seven thousand sympathetic villagers. The day was February 9, 1555.