Lex Rex

Reverend Samuel Rutherford wrote Lex, Rex to defend and advance the Presbytarian ideals in government and political life, and oppose the notion of a monarch's Divine Right to rule. Writing in the 1640s, Rutherford lived in a time of political tumult and upheaval. The notion of Divine Right - whether a monarch ruled with the authority of God - was under increasing question. The steadily waning power of the king, increasing rates of literacy and education, and enfranchisement of classes that followed the Renaissance bore fruit in demands for governmental reform. No greater were these trends felt than in England, whose Parliament had over centuries gained power. Shaken to its foundations by the aftermath of religious Reformation in the 1500s, the monarchy was under great scrutiny. The follies of absolute power, whereby one ruler had capacity to take decisions affecting the lives of millions, were now an active source of agitation and discontentment in both the halls of power and amid the wider populace.

"In 1548, Charles V imposed his infamous Augsburg Interim which was an attempt to smash the Protestant Reformation. While all of Protestant Germany conformed to his decree, one city decided to take a stand and resist his authority -- the city of Magdeburg. The pastors of Magdeburg issued their Confession and Defense of the Pastors and Other Ministers of the Church of Magdeburg on April 13, 1550 AD. Five months after issuing their Confession, Charles V's forces marched on Magdeburg. The people of Magdeburg burned everything outside the city walls and closed the city gates. The siege of Magdeburg had begun."--Cover, page 4.

Join Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and the rest of the DC Super Friends as they fly off on a new adventure in this Step into Reading leveled reader for boys ages 4-6. When evil Lex Luthor takes over the city of Metropolis with an army of dinosaurs, the Super Friends rush in to save the day from these prehistoric monsters!