Since the early days of Christianity, martyrdom has had a particularly
honoured place, and 2020 will see the Catholic Church marking the
fiftieth anniversary of the canonization of 40 martyrs killed during the
Reformation in England and Wales.
In this powerful exploration of the significance of martyrdom today,
Catherine Pepinster looks at the lives of over a dozen martyrs, past and
present, to consider how ideas about giving up your life for your faith
have changed over the centuries, and especially the way martyrs often
become caught up in the clash between religion and politics.