Edward Dering

Edward Dering was an early English Puritan preacher whose ministry was marked by deep loyalty to Scripture and fearless calls for reform within the Church of England. Educated at Cambridge, Dering believed that the Word of God must govern the church, not tradition or political comfort—a conviction that placed him firmly in the stream of Puritan reform.

Dering became especially significant after his 1570 sermon before Queen Elizabeth I, where he urged further purification of the church. His boldness cost him favor, position, and public ministry, yet he accepted suffering as the price of faithfulness. Like the apostles, he was willing to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

At the heart of Dering’s theology was the centrality of preaching. He believed God awakens dead hearts through His Word, echoing Paul’s declaration: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). For Dering, a church without faithful preaching was spiritually lifeless (cf. Amos 8:11).

He also pressed for true repentance, not outward conformity. Drawing on biblical warnings, Dering reminded hearers that God desires inward transformation: “Rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). His sermons consistently called listeners to examine themselves before God (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Though his life was short, Dering modeled steadfast endurance. Silenced by authorities yet unshaken in conviction, he embodied the truth of “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). His example helped shape the Puritan ideal of a preacher willing to suffer loss for the sake of biblical faithfulness.

Quotes

“The Word of God is the life of the church; take it away, and the church is but a carcass.”

“We must not play with repentance, for God is not mocked with fair words and empty sighs.”

“Where Christ is not preached, there the people perish, though the church seem never so glorious.”

Writings

A Sermon Preached before the Queen’s Majesty (1570)

XXVII Lectures upon the Epistle to the Hebrews

A Sermon Preached at Paul’s Cross