This Day in Christian History: May 30 May 30, 1431: Joan of Arc Burned at the Stake Born into a peasant family in north-east France, Joan was spiritual from a very young age. Joan testified that she saw her first vision at about age 13. She said she saw the Archangel Michael, who told her to drive out the English and aid Charles VII. She began to fulfill this commision around age 16. Being so young, it took some time to get the officials to take her seriously, but she succeeded and ended up joining the army on the battlefront. The extent of her involvement is debated, but the commanders believed that her advice was divinely inspired, and therefore would listen to her. Historians have to agree that the army experienced remarkable success during the brief time she accompanied it. Joan was captured and put on trial by the Catholic church as a heretic. One of the many charges brought against her was that of 'cross dressing' because she had disguised herself as a male s...

This Day in Christian History: April 3 April 3, 1528: German reformer Adolf Clarenbach arrested Statue of Adolf Clarenbach (right) Adolf Clarenbach was born around 1497 on a farm in Germany. Adolf became a teacher, and sought to spread the principles of the Reformation, which he strongly believed. Because of his open acceptance and teachings of Martin Luther's ideas, Adolf was arrested and imprisoned on April 3, 1528. He was confined for eighteen months. At the age of 28, Adolf became one of the first Protestant martyrs of the reformation. He was burned at the stake with another follower of Luther on September 28, 1529.

This Day in Christian History: February 23 February 23, 155 A.D.: Polycarp is Burned at the Stake Polycarp was an apostle of the early Christian church. According to the writings of Irenaeus, he was a disciple of the Apostle John, and John had ordained him as the Bishop of Smyrna. At the age of 86, Polycarp was arrested and sentenced to death because of his faith. He was bound to a stake and set on fire, however the fire didn't harm him. His martyrs then stabbed him to death. The account of Polycarp's martyrdom is considered the earliest genuine account of Christian martyrdom after the Acts of the Apostles . Amber Schamel is the author of the Days of Messiah series, a historical fiction series about early Christianity. Read a Free Sample!