John Knox and the Formation of Diaspora Worship in Geneva: A Case Study of the English-Speaking Exile Community in the 16th Century

This study explores the formation of diaspora worship among the English-speaking exile community in Geneva during the mid-sixteenth century and its decisive role in shaping the theological and political identity of the Second Reformation. By examining the leadership of John Knox and the compilation of The Forme of Prayers (1556), the research investigates how the experience of displacement facilitated a radical departure from the liturgical compromises of the Church of England. The study begins by analyzing the “troubles” at Frankfurt (1554–1555), where the conflict between the “Prayer Book party” and the “Geneva faction” catalyzed the adoption of the Regulative Principle of Worship as a defensive mechanism for faith. It then evaluates the socio-ecclesiastical institutionalization of the community in Geneva, as evidenced by the Livre des Anglois, and the theological framework of their resulting liturgy. Key elements (including covenantal confession based on the “remnant” identity, the sacraments as “visible Word,” and the pedagogical function of metrical psalmody) are analyzed as paradigms for religious identity construction within a refugee context. Furthermore, the paper traces the intellectual output of this diaspora, such as the Geneva Bible and radical resistance theory, which provided the theological blueprint for the “Genevanization” of Scotland and the emergence of Elizabethan Puritanism. Ultimately, this research presents the Genevan exile experience as a sophisticated model of “diaspora faith,” demonstrating how marginalized religious communities utilize theological innovation, institutional autonomy, and media technology to transform from the periphery into a central force of historical and political change.