Commemorating the martyrdom and witness of Christians, both past and present, is a vital yet untapped source of Christian self-understanding and courage for the future. This volume, Faith and Order Papers 209, reflects and reflects on the growing awareness that contemporary and historical witnesses to Christian faith do not belong only to individual confessional groups but are a source of inspiration for all the churches. What is the meaning of this legacy and of faithful commemoration of this common heritage? How can it help to unite Christians today? A rich resource, featuring the work of more than two dozen theologians and historians, the volume surveys understandings of "witnesses" in Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, and Pentecostal traditions. Then the volume ranges around the globe to analyse martyrdom in specific settings, from South Africa to Russia to Latin America, and offers specific suggestions for theological and liturgical commemoration. Whether they be martyrs under the Nazi regime, the Roman Catholic sisters slain in El Salvador, or the nameless thousands of Christian martyrs in Korea, their lives and deaths bear witness to the common faith that Christians everywhere share with them and its indispensability in times of peril, such as our own.