Paul Middleton, who lives near Peterborough with his family has written many short tales and works of poetry for his own pleasure, whilst Bo Peep Solves a Mystery is his first self published work. He enjoys spending lots of time with his wonderful grandchildren as well as exploring the great outdoors.
Claire Bower, the book's illustrator and editor lives in the city of York. She currently enjoys producing artwork and works as a part time Primary school teacher and Children's and families worker for her local parish. Claire enjoys painting and walks in the countryside with her husband and border collie, Sally.

A unique, wide-ranging volume exploring the historical, religious, cultural, political, and social aspects of Christian martyrdom
Although a well-studied and researched topic in early Christianity, martyrdom had become a relatively neglected subject of scholarship by the latter half of the 20th century. However, in the years following the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the study of martyrdom has experienced a remarkable resurgence. Heightened cultural, religious, and political debates about Islamic martyrdom have, in a large part, prompted increased interest in the role of martyrdom in the Christian tradition. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon from its beginnings to its role in the present day. This timely volume presents essays written by 30 prominent scholars that explore the fundamental concepts, key questions, and contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom in Christianity.
Broad in scope, this volume explores topics ranging from the origins, influences, and theology of martyrdom in the early church, with particular emphasis placed on the Martyr Acts, to contemporary issues of gender, identity construction, and the place of martyrdom in the modern church. Essays address the role of martyrdom after the establishment of Christendom, especially its crucial contribution during and after the Reformation period in the development of Christian and European national-building, as well as its role in forming Christian identities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This important contribution to Christian scholarship:
* Offers the first comprehensive reference work to examine the topic of martyrdom throughout Christian history
* Includes an exploration of martyrdom and its links to traditions in Judaism and Islam
* Covers extensive geographical zones, time periods, and perspectives
* Provides topical commentary on Islamic martyrdom and its parallels to the Christian church
* Discusses hotly debated topics such as the extent of the Roman persecution of early Christians
The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of religious studies, theology, and Christian history, as well as readers with interest in the topic of Christian martyrdom.

List of Contributors viii
Acknowledgments xiii
List of Abbreviations xv
I. Introductory Matters 1
1 Introduction 3
Paul Middleton
2 Creating and Contesting Christian Martyrdom 12
Paul Middleton
II. Early Christian Martyrdom 31
3 The Roman Persecutions 33
James Corke-Webster
4 Martyrdom and Persecution in the New Testament 51
Paul Middleton
5 Early Jewish and Christian Martyrdom 72
Jan Willem van Henten
6 Martyrdom in Roman Context 88
L. Stephanie Cobb
7 Themes and Intertextualities in Pre-Nicene Exhortations to Martyrdom 102
Paul A. Hartog
8 Early Christian Theologies of Martyrdom 120
Jane D. McLarty
9 Augustine and the Remaking of Martyrdom 135
Annemaré Kotzé
10 Legenda aut non legenda? The Quest for the Literary Genre of the Acts of the Martyrs 151
Danny Praet
11 Martyrdom and Gender 184
Robert Paul Seesengood
12 Martyrdom and the Creation of Christian Identity 199
Matthew Recla
III. Martyrdom in the Medieval and Reformation World 215
13 Early Christian Martyr Cults 217
David L. Eastman
14 A Middle (Byzantine) Martyr: The Power and Point of Productive Suffering 236
Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen
15 Bohemian Martyrdom at the Dawn of the Reformation 255
Thomas A. Fudge
16 Does the Cause make the Martyr? Sebastian Castellio and John Calvin Debate the Execution of Michael Servetus 271
Nicholas Thompson
17 Anabaptist Martyrdom 287
Lloyd K. Pietersen
18 England's Eusebius: John Foxe and the Acts and Monuments 305
Sarah Covington
19 The Elizabethan Martyrs 322
Victor Houliston and Aislinn Muller
20 The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Nation: Martyrdom in Reformation England 338
Susan Royal
IV. Martyrdom in Global Perspective 355
21 Martyrdom in Roman Catholic Perspective 357
Lawrence S. Cunningham
22 The Franciscans 365
Christopher MacEvitt
23 Christian Martyrdom in Asia: Bearing Testimony to the Love of God 381
Peter C. Phan
24 Christian Martyrdom in Korea 406
Franklin Rausch
25 Christian Martyrdom in Africa 421
Kevin Ward
26 "Dying Well" in Latin America: Christian Martyrdom, Religion and Politics 437
María Soledad Catoggio
27 Martyrdom in Modern America 454
Scott W. Hoffman
V. Legacies of Martyrdom 469
28 Martyrdom Discourse in Contemporary U.S. War-culture 471
Kelly Denton-Borhaug
29 Digital Representations of Martyrdom 485
Jonas Kurlberg and Jolyon Mitchell
30 The Legacy and Future of Christian Martyrdom 501
Michael P. Jensen
Index 514