Welcome to five minutes in church history hosted by Dr Stephen Nichols, where we take a little

break from the present to go exploring the past. Travel back in time as we look at the people,

events, and even the places that have shaped the story of Christianity.

This is our story, our family history. Let's get started.

The Poet of Paradise, can you guess who we're going to be talking about on this

episode of five minutes in church history? If you guessed John Milton, you'd be right.

John Milton wrote his classic text, Paradise Lost

and then followed it up with Paradise Regained. Of course he wrote many other

things and he had quite a life. Milton was born in

1608 he was born on Bread Street in London he was trained at Cambridge and

sided with the Puritans in the 1640s he was clearly on the side of

Parliament. This was the time of the British Civil War as Parliament was at

odds with the King, Charles I, and the monarchy.

The parliamentary forces, of course, were led by Oliver Cromwell, and they would get the upper

hand.

It was also during the 1640s that we have those Westminster divines, the ministers and theologians gathered

there at Westminster and the drafting up of the Westminster standards.

This was an exciting time and Milton was busy writing tracks,

supporting the Puritans and supporting Parliament,

defending them. That was the 1640s. The 1650s was a very difficult decade for John

Milton. In the 1650s he started losing his sight and by the end of the decade

Milton would be completely blind.

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