Andrew Allan Chibi

The main story takes place over the course of about a week in May 1555 during the reign of 'bloody' Mary Tudor.

In part one, the first and now former Bishop of Bristol, Lord Paul Bushe, is alerted to a mounting heresy problem developing in Kingswood Forest (a wild part of the diocese of Bristol) by the inexperienced new bishop, Lord John Holyman. He is called away from his comfortable and established routine as Rector of Winterbourne and the simpler life of a country gentleman scholar to investigate and resolve the matter before it attracts national attention. The situation raises apprehension and genuine fear, and Bushe agrees to act in order to protect the diocese and its environs from the dire social, economic, and religious consequences of the queen's (rumoured) heightened zealotry.

Bushe's thoughts, travels, and decisions are juxtaposed with those of Master John Burgess, a budding force in the local woollen industry and a well-liked man of Kingswood Town. As Bushe moves toward Bristol Cathedral, he reminisces about his life as a chaplain to Henry VIII, as a bishop, and as a client of Thomas Cromwell. Interspaced with these are segments on Burgess's travels to Mid-Summer Norton and Wells (which took place about a year earlier), his instructing of his apprentice in the wool trade, and about life in general, discussions of current events, meeting both his contacts in the banned book network and his first run-in with England's changing religious laws. At the end of part one Bushe meets with Burgess in the cells of Bristol Cathedral in order to make an assessment of his character and culpability. He finds that the real driving force behind the growing heresy is not John, however, but his wife Margaret (currently in the next cell over).

In part two, the story follows Bushe's investigation of the heresy matter, a journey which takes him to Kingswood Town, Bitten, and back again to Bristol. Here, his movements are juxtaposed with the investigation, with Bushe's interviews with Margaret in the Cathedral cells, their discussions of the main religious issues (theology and bible passages), her leading of a small prophecy fellowship at one of her husband's woollen mills (featuring members of the fellowship), the effect her group is having in the town and the threat to the diocese and the region that it inspires. Over the course of the investigation Bushe finds himself impressed with Margaret's enthusiasm (if not her actually understanding of the issues) and tries to give her the benefit of his greater learning and wisdom (wishing that he could teach her a better way). Early on Bushe accuses Margaret of being the biblical and titular unprofitable servant, but over the course of their meetings and events which transpire he comes to wonder if perhaps he was not actually himself the servant. The Burgess case gives Bushe a final chance to prove to himself that he is not and to do something genuinely beneficial.

Part three is the final confrontation, at the Cathedral, between Bushe, the Burgesses, and the members of the Kingswood Town fellowship. Here Bushe tries to bring them around the a correct understanding of the Marian constituted religion, in the process saving their souls and sending them back out with a heightened sense of truth and a desire to work for the betterment of the forest folk in a more royally-approved manner. The Epilogue is Bushe's beginning to finally write the treatise he has been tasked by the queen and archbishop to write, one which uses the recent events as both starting point and subject matter, meant to bring a wider understanding of the issues to the realm at large. Bristol, England's second city and home of the woollen industry, is spared from the burnings.

1555. Mary Tudor has reigned for only two years and is determined to set things right, to save the souls of her subjects, to correct the mistakes made by her father and brother. To her surprise, however, not all of her people share her points of view. Some don't want the pope back; others don't believe that Christ is in the bread or that good works have merit or even that aristocrats and nobles are necessarily better than the laborors in the fields and factories. Two years ago, these people would have been called reformers, commonwealth men and progressives; her councillors and chaplains now call them radicals and heretics. The solution to the problem of the radicals, they say, is to burn them out off the body politique altogether and put the fear of God back into the hearts of the English. The reign of "Bloody" Mary is about to begin … but not everywhere, not quite yet. Bristol is a city on the move, a hub of the woollen industry, a market centre, and a main port of call for merchants and traders from the continent. It is bustling, but peaceful in its way at the moment. But for every finished fabric or crate of exotic fruit that comes in, a new idea, a radical pamphlet, maybe even a religious reformer comes in with it. Any social or economic disruption to the city, however, could be ruinous for Bristol, for its surroundings and for the realm as a whole. The highest authority in the city is the second bishop of Bristol and he is on the watch for heresy, as the queen's councillors now define it, afraid of what might come along with it. Margaret and John Burgess are searchers of truth – old or new – but are hidden away in the Kingswood with their fellow travellors thinking they are safe from the queen's justice. They think they are righteous. The bishop has heard of them, he knows they are there and he knows of their questionable antics, but he does not know what to do about it. Can they be stopped before the queen's rising holocaust of horror comes to England's industrial heartland? One man will know what to do. Paul Bushe, the very first bishop of Bristol, brought the city and its surroundings out from the chaos of conflicting forces and forged a diocese in the name of Henry VIII. He is a local man; a noble man; a man with experience of kings and queens and with the Cranmers and Cromwells of the realm. A Catholic man of God and of learning, a scientist, a poet. It was Bushe who once helped a lost and lonely princess become a queen but even that may do him no favors now. He knows these Kingswood folk and they know him. Bushe reluctantly returns to the episcople and royal services, remembering what it was like in previous reigns, agreeing to investigate the matter while consequently juggling personal, business and official objectives of his own and of his family. Can even such a man as the first bishop bring the diocese, the city, and the people back into peace and conformity before all is lost to civil disturbance and the cleansing fires of a new inquisition?

From a medieval perspective, God had provided a church to shepherd believers toward salvation. It had a divine mission, a sacred history, a hierarchy of officers, and the intellectual support of respected thinkers. It provided a means for believers to interact with God. Believers also had to interact with neighbors, strangers, and their rulers. Fear God, Honor the King considers that sometimes surprisingly problematic issue. What is the correct relationship between the church, believers, and the ruling magisterial authority (whether alderman, mayors, or kings)? The thinkers of the Reformation era produced many answers. They explained in a variety of ways how the church related to, or fit in with, or was separate from, or was controlled by the temporal government of the realm, and they set into motion what became the determinant factors--social, political, economic, and philosophical--underpinning modern Western societies' determination to keep the church and the state in well-defined autonomous cubicles. The Reformers' rival ideas ushered in new philosophies (such as conciliarism and localism) as well as directly conflicting doctrines (such as Luther's two kingdoms or Bucer's co-terminus). This book examines, compares, and explains these new theories using the voices of the Reformers' themselves.

In 1500 Christians knew that God gave them the church to shepherd believers toward salvation and that it was centered at Rome and ruled by a pope. Today, that church is but one of forty thousand Christian denominations, each with distinctive structures and doctrines. How did this happen? Then, as now, all aspects of the church--from its divine mission to its offices and operations, hierarchy, and bureaucracy--were of interest to theologians, thinkers, and troublemakers alike, but for ages there had been satisfaction with the status quo. In the late Renaissance this gave way to frustration and heated debate, as some people wanted fewer clerical controls over their lives, and others sought a church more representative of its purest, earliest form. Ecclesiology (the doctrine and theory of the church) became a major controversy separating not only Roman Catholics from emerging Protestants, but also Protestants from one another. In the writings of the various reformers, the same issues surfaced repeatedly. Jesus's parable of the Wheat and the Tares was discussed often as an image of the church, as reformers sought to rediscover the purity of the church as God's gift. This book uses the words of a range of reformers to explain how the one church began to divide into the many.

Here is how to understand others Many people yearn to understand others from different faiths but fail to understand the underlying foundations of that person's faith. In this book you will learn: · How the major faiths emerged · How the differing communities were established · How new Judaic, Christian and Islamic thinking emerged, and much, much more.

Today, especially for many of those of an English speaking Christian heritage, religion is not central to life. So the reformation period is often considered remote. What possible relevance could it have to the modern world? The point is that English society and the English Church is the way it is because of the changes brought about under the Tudors. This means that to understand 'modern England', especially a post-Brexit England, and to plots its future, we need to determine where England is now. The only way to determine where England is now, is to see how England got to this place in history. This period set the foundations of the country that England has become and hints at the motivations of those who proposed Brexit. That is why this period is so important. This book explains: - Why we need to study the Tudor Reformation. - The 7 common abuses in the pre-reformation church. - Why Henry's divorce was regarded as necessary and was achieved, despite failed diplomacy. - How Anne Boleyn used her influence on the King. - The Key doctrinal and ceremonial issues. - How post supremacy radicals tried to motivate Henry. - The three problems inherent in understanding the use of the Bible. - Luther's 4 problems with the 7 sacraments. - The 5 other reasons for the dissolution of the monasteries. - The 3 elements of dissolution. - The 3 aspects of the influence of Edward Seymour. - The 7 aspects and 4 consequences of the 1547 injunctions. - The 7 aspects of Cranmer's (First) book of common prayer. - The 4 influences of John Dudley. - The coercion of the Bishops. - The role of Parliament under Dudley. - The importance of Lady Jane grey. - The 3 solid reasons that explain Jane and Dudley's failure. - The religious views of Mary 1st. - The assessment of the Spanish marriage and the three practical advantages for England. - The 3 religious aspects to the Wyatt's rebellion - Elizabeth 1 and the settlement. - ' Nosey' Parker and the 39 Articles. - The Vestiarian Controversy. - The Parliamentary response to the Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington plots. - The pope's 'contract' on Elizabeth 1. - The influence of the Douai priests and the Jesuits. - The 5 elements of structural change in English regions. The understanding of this period in English history contributes to our understanding of England today.

This monograph delves into the lives and contributions of the bishops who served as leaders of the Henrician Church. It explores their diverse roles as administrators, scholars, and spiritual shepherds, while highlighting their impact on the major religious and political events of Henry VIII's reign. Through detailed examinations of their skills, works, and personal journeys, the book sheds new light on the vital part these men played in shaping the early English Reformation and navigating the complexities of the Tudor church.

This textbook offers an in-depth exploration of the European Reformation, guiding readers through the key ideas and theological contributions of the major thinkers of the era. By comparing and contrasting their theologies, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of how the Reformation shaped religious, cultural, and intellectual landscapes. Ideal for students and scholars alike, this work presents a clear and accessible approach to the complex theological debates that defined one of the most transformative periods in European history.

An examination of the key role performed by John Stokesley, Bishop of London, in the reign of Henry VIII. Chapters cover his work in the divorce, the royal supremacy, and the limited Henrician reformation of the church.

The Saga of the Stolen One is a fantasy/horror series in a slightly re-imagined real-world setting. To the Last Generation, the first book, starts in fifteenth century Ireland where, dotted about the realm, still exist tiny settlements devoted to the old gods. And although the influence of Christianity is felt, the settlements are just about tolerated by the Catholic Church and the English rulers. In one such place a child is born, clearly unhealthy, and on the verge of death. After an appeal to Bridget, an exchange is performed. A fae-child is placed into the crib of the dead human child. The fae-child, the son of the High-King of the fae-folk, is intended to one day serve as a bridge between the two peoples in an increasingly hostile world. He was to grow up, learn all he can of humans, their ways, and their triune god, and this knowledge was to be used as a means of bringing all the Irish together against their enemies. The child grows, learns, and before his differences with the others can be realized he is sent off on an educational tour/adventure. Two key incidents change everything.

     First, mid-century, Tadgh (the protagonist) – a keen-witted but more fun-loving than serious sidhe prince – meets, bonds with, and is tragically changed by a Wallachian strigoii woman. This act taints him and steals him from his fae heritage, his people, his human family, and his carefree attitude. It also sends him into depression and a desperate search for a cure, leaving him with conflicting and mutual hostile dual natures. Second, in the last years of the fifteenth century, a small detachment of English soldiers on behalf of Henry VII invades Ireland and massacres a small Irish settlement near Cork. The vselected village is the place where Tadgh was raised and for which he still has some degree of sentiment.
     The combination of these events begins the denigration of Ireland as a nation. The fae have been devastated by the loss of believers as well as the loss of their prince. The fortunes of the realm are mystically tied into the health and well-being of the so-called ‘Hidden king’. Without Tadgh firmly on the throne of the fae, both the supernatural and natural realms cannot defend themselves against malevolent foreign influences, as the hidden king has duties and obligations to perform on behalf of his people, fae and human alike – one king, one land. The innocent dead of the village also cry out for vengeance against their murderers. Tadgh must be found and brought home so he can lead the efforts for both salvation and retribution for all his people and himself.
A problem exists, however, in that his impure dual nature provides another horrific element – partially psychological and partially physiological. Tadgh is a focus of an internal struggle between good and evil as well as expressed benevolence and maleficence. Moreover, the fae court of Ireland has always been ruled by a ‘summery’ king (Tadgh’s father, now dead) whereas Tadgh, as it stands, can only be held as ‘wintery’ – and the court reflects the coldness and inhospitableness of its king. An appeal is made to the old gods at An Seisear (the standing stones near Cork) for a solution to both problems.
     The task placed upon Tadgh is an arduous and frankly horrific one – he is to track down and scourge the earth of the blood of all the soldiers who attacked the village – from leader to lowliest grunt. What this means is that each man, and anyone of a direct bloodline originating with him (in the form of children, grandchildren, etc.), is to be ‘harvested’ until the last drop of blood is collected and returned to the holy spot in payment and in the service of justice.

     Tadgh is aided in this geas by his two peoples – particularly Talia (an excitable but loyal pixie), Karl (an Enlightened human), and two related human organizations established just for the task (and as cover against dis-covery) – the Daughters of Feidlimid and the Sons of Lóegaire.