These Things

It was a busy week, indeed. On Halloween, I kept thinking “tomorrow is November”. With no Thanksgiving here, that means the next holiday is Christmas. While that is truly almost 2 months away, I know the time will fly. For now Autumn is in full swing. The colors of the trees and the crispness of the air is an unfamiliar and enjoyable feeling. Sunset at 4:45 is also something that is unfamiliar. The sunsets are amazing though. God truly puts on a vivid display all across the sky, amongst the trees and in the people of St Andrews.

Research

A busy week at filling out my first chapter bibliography, as well as diving into primary sources. See the following:

• John Foxe saw much value in print:
  • The reason whereof is this, for that hereby tongues are known, knowledge groweth, judgment increaseth, books are dispersed, the Scripture is seen, the doctors be read, stories be opened, times compared, truth discerned, falsehood detected, and with finger pointed, and all, as I said, through the benefit of printing. Wherefore, I suppose, that either the pope must abolish printing, or he must seek a new world to reign over; for else, as this world standeth, printing doubtless will abolish him. But the pope, and all his college of cardinals, must this understand, that through the light of printing the world beginneth now to have eyes to see and heads to judge: he cannot walk so invisible in a net, but he will be spied. And although, through might, he stopped the mouth of John Huss before, and of Jerome, that they might not preach, thinking to make his kingdom sure; yet, instead of John Huss and others, God hath opened the press to preach, whose voice the pope is never able to stop, with all the puissance of his triple crown. By this printing, as by the gift of tongues, and as by the singular organ of the Holy Ghost, the doctrine of the gospel soundeth to all nations and countries under heaven, and what God revealeth to one man is dispersed to many, and what is known in one nation is opened to all. (117. The Invention and Benefit of Printing)
• He also equated the spread of print with the spread of the gospel.
  • By this it may be seen and noted, how, by the grace of God and gift of printing, first came forth learning; by learning came light to judge and discern the errors of the pope from the truth of God’s word; as partly by these abovesaid may appear, partly by other that follow after, (by the grace of Christ,) shall better be seen.
  • About the very same time and season, when the gospel began thus to branch and spring in Germany, the host of Christ’s church began also to muster and to multiply likewise here in England, as by these histories here consequent may appear. For not long after the death of this Weselus, in the year of our Lord 1494, and in the ninth year of the reign of Henry the Seventh, the 28th of April, was burned a very old woman named Joan Boughton, widow, and mother to the Lady Young, which lady was also suspected to be of that opinion which her mother was. Her mother was of fourscore years of age or more, and held eight of Wickliff’s opinions, (which opinions my author doth not show,) for the which she was burnt in Smithfield the day abovesaid. My author saith, she was a disciple of Wickliff, whom she accounted for a saint, and held so fast and firmly eight of his ten opinions, that all the doctors of London could not turn her from one of them; and when it was told her that she should be burnt for her obstinacy and false belief, she set nothing by their menacing words, but defied them; for she said she was so beloved of God, and his holy angels, that she cared not for the fire, and in the midst thereof she cried to God to take her soul into his holy hands. The night following that she was burnt, the most part of her ashes were had away of such as had a love unto the doctrine that she died for. (126. The Invention and Benefit of Printing)

Reading

Only one book completed this week, likely due to the amount of time I’ve been spending looking for primary and secondary sources. Do not fret- many more are on the horizon!

The Last Invasion of England: 1688 and the Dutch Armada, Arthur der Weduwen (Princeton University Press, 2026)

Real Life

A few moments of note this week, almost all outside the classroom:

• One of the highlights of this week was a panel discussion on parenting while a PhD student. I believe that the panelists were a little surprised at the level of intensity that parents answered questions such as “What did you find difficult?” or “Do you feel supported?” As the only parent of four children, perhaps a bit of perspective helped me to see that some of what was complained about were the simple stresses of parenting. However, it presented me with a golden opportunity to talk about the advantages of finding a community of faith (i.e., church family). Where young mothers and fathers lamented their lack of community or inability to figure out parenting in a new environment, I could point to the tremendous resource our church has been for us.
• To show how much we value this church, we made it official! After meeting with our senior minister, the Turners are now members at St Andrews Free Church. This is something we’ve been hoping for several weeks, and we have been overjoyed at the people we have come to know. This is a church which has a very high bar for teaching Scripture, and the close relationships among members and visiting students alike create an intimate environment. We are thankful for the opportunity to join and serve this community as long as the Lord calls us to St Andrews.
• We took a day trip to the tourist town of Dunkeld, home to the famous Hermitage, home of Beatrix Potter’s inspiration for Peter Rabbit. The park was incredible, with Ossian’s Fall as a particular highlight.
• Halloween was a multi-night event, including a school disco (not pictured due to the school’s policy), as well as a night of guising (trick-or-treating) in our surrounding neighborhoods. Our kiddoes loved all of their costumes, although perhaps no one best fit their current mood as Georgie in his Dog Man costume. Overall, it was a success for each child.

Conclusion

Guising  includes telling a joke to get your candy. It isn’t handed out so casually here. I initially thought this would be a hardship for George but he was motivated and persevered. His joke that he told to each person handing out candy was “Why did the picture go to jail? Because it was framed!”