Reformed Anglicans

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 31-40. Calvin gives an overview to Psalm 5. It's not just David's enemies, but all the enemies arrayed against the twelve tribes and God's people. As such, this Psalm is ever-appropriate regarding ENEMIES within and without. Prof. Keil comments on Joshua 3.1-6: preliminary preparations to crossing the Jericho. Matthew Henry begins the exposition on apostolic benediction. Blessed are those reading, hearing and keeping the Words of Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, who washed, cleansed and instituted His people as "kings and priests." More could be said and will be said on this attention-getting verses 3-7. Hey Henry VIII, we are "Kings" too. Prof. Robert Reymond deals with Ex. 4.10-16 where Moses is scrolling down through his excuses t...

The rebels of Cornwall and Devonshire makes their demands on King Edward VI and the reforming Church. They demand the return of the 1539 Six Articles in Article 2 and the return of Latin masses in Article 3: (1) as for the former, Dr. Cranmer compares them to the Councils of Nicea and Grangrense, showing the conflict regarding married clergy; (2) Dr. Cranmer out-reasons them on the Latin masses as instruments for continued ignorance while arguing St. Paul’s position from 1 Cor.14.15: “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” Why Latin for England? Or, why the Greek's with Greek divine services? Or, Syrian for the Syrian church. So, why Latin in England for the BCP and Bible? It’s another reasonable, rational and strong beat-down of the papist ringleaders, but also the gullible lapdogs and bootlickers in Devonshire and Cornwall. No weak Cranmer here. Be carefu...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 21-30. On Psalm 4.7, Calvin comments on David's fixedness, his focus, and his theocentricity. It's a bond and covenant. Prof. Keil continues his exposition of Joshua's spies and Rahab. Rahab is instructed to lower a red cordon from the window on the wall where the family home is located. Matthew Henry comments on Rev.1.1-2. Jesus Christ is doing the "revelation" as He always has done since the foundation of the world, through history and, finally, at the end. All things begin, continue, are centered, and end in Him. Prof. Reymond polishes off the deniers of God's omnipotent, verbal, and plain speech. Followers of Christ must embrace Christ in His Prophetic Office speaking across the ages. Prof. Schaff comments on Zwingli's minis...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1-10. Calvin on Psalm 2.5: "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord." Calvin believes David is directing his speech to the hypocrites and tabernacle-attendees who yet are opposing God's Messiah, God's Anointed. Meanwhile, the Ark of the Covenant and the Shekinah Presence of the LORD has left Shiloh. Hence, David calls the hypocrites to shed the fake exterior and come with true worshipping hearts and minds. SNOWFLAKE ALERT FOR POSTMODERN CRYBABIES. On Joshua 2.7-14, Prof. Keil addresses the "fear and despair" that befalls the Canaanites who understand that God is with the Israelites. They know a brutal smackdown is coming from the holy, omnipotent, eternal, just, wise and holy hand of the God of Moses and Jo...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 101-107. Calvin on Psalm 4, we are exhorted to withdraw from the daily affairs at night...and to commune with God in the quiet of self-reflection, meditation, repentance, saving faith and strengthening. King David exhorts his enemies to do the same thing. Prof. Keil on Joshua 2 expatiates on Rahab's dissimulation with the King of Jericho, thus sparing God's spies from detection. He notes that Calvin and Augustine with him, to wit, that Rahab's dissimulation was a sin. As a combat veteran, a disagreement is registered. Disinformation and camouflage is required in war. On another instance, he says the same about the Hebrew midwives dissimulating with Pharoah's murderous baby-killing policy. We can argue with Prof. Keil elsewhere, but note even our f...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 101-107. In Psalm 4, Calvin comments on Psalm 4.4. "Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." Calvin warns that the madmen are incorrigible and do not do commune on or with God, given their mental bondage to self-infatuation, being controlled by the lusts and desires of the heart and flesh. To shake off the mental sluggishness and blinding-binding drowsiness, he exhorts them to learn awe, to learn trembling and God's fear, and to reflect upon God and His attributes. Further, Calin commends use of even leisurely moments to get their heads fixed and readjusted. A mental transformation, if not a brain-transplant (our words). Calm and deliberate reflection preceding repentance and reform, learning to restr...

[1] Providence in the Middle Ages   Anselm. “If everything that exists derives its existence from God’s knowledge, then Gid is the Creator and author also of evil works and, by inference, unjustly punishes the wicked…that the goodness which consists of uprightness is really something that exists, whereas the evil which is called unrighteousness lacks existence entirely…everything that has existence owes its being at all to God, who is the source of all uprightness, but not of unrighteousness. Therefore, although Gis a factor in all that id done by a righteous or unrighteous will in its good and evil acts, nevertheless, I the case of its good acts he effects both their existence nd their goodness, where in the case of its evil acts he causes them to be, but not to be evil.” Compatibility of the Foreknowledge, Predestination and Grace of God with Human Freedom , in Anselm, 447.   Aquinas . “The existence of every creature depends on God, so that not for a moment could it ex...

REFORMED THEOLOGY. REFORMED AND CRANMERIAN PRAYER BOOK CHURCHMANSHIP. A CALVINISTIC ANGLICANISM THAT ONCE SURELY WAS, BUT SURELY IS NOT TODAY, AND SURELY WILL NOT BECOME (WITHOUT A ROOT AND BRANCH REFORMATION, TOP TO BOTTOM). John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 81-90. On Psalm 4 with John Calvin, we get the fixed idea, to wit, that unregenerate madmen are ineluctably in bondage to themselves--in bondage to malice, envy, jealousy and other things that flow from these things. Oh yes, masks are on present, but what lies behind are men in bondage to original sin and actual transgressions. From Joshua and Prof. Keil, we see Joshua preparing the people for the Conquest. Get some food in preparation. Also, the spies will be dispatched shortly. From Matthew Henry on Jude, two things: (1) You've been...

Providence, 277-299. Prejudicially and unacceptably, Dr. Allison does not mention the WCF (again). We will. WCF 5.1-2: "God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. 2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently. " For the early church, Dr. Allison will cite Clement of Rome, the Letter of Barnabas, Irenaeus, Origen, the Didache, Justin Martyr, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Athenagoras, Arnobius, Lact...

5. Reformation, 27-33. (Of note, Dr. Williams has 35ish endnotes essentially from Encyclopedias evincing small, personal research.) Luther’s 95 Theses bring revolution to the religio-political power base. Charles V is a stout Papist. In 1530, Charles convokes the Diet of Augsburg—the Lutherans want the Augsburg Confession accepted/tolerated while Charles wanted money/support in his fight with the Turks on the southeastern flank. On theology, Charles refused; the Schmalkaldic League of Lutheran Princes allied in 1531 as a defensive League. Cranmer joined the court of Charles V in January 1532 as Henry’s Ambassador. Charles wants money and soldiers. Cranmer is directed to dawdle. Charles does not support Henry’s gig about Catherine and Anne. In August 1532, Henry denies money or soldiers and Charles is angry. Cranmer saw the battle damage done by rioting soldiers, Italians, in Charles’ employ. Rapes, murders, and pillages. Cranmer networked with other ambassadors and ended up at Nurnberg...

REFORMED THEOLOGY. REFORMED AND CRANMERIAN PRAYER BOOK CHURCHMANSHIP. AN ANGLICANISM THAT ONCE WAS, IS NOT TODAY, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT MAY BECOME. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 61-70. On Psalm 4, Calvin evinces while Calvinists--when schooled--are a breed that would rather die than surrender to godless scoffers and malicious reprobates. On Joshua 1.1-9, Prof. Keil emphasizes the direct, immediate, Presence and Speech of God to Joshua in his calling. On Jude, the judgement day is emphasized. Do not look for any Episcopal collars in their draperies to preach or teach on the judgement day. While it is recited in the Nicene Creed, it is denied by silence, neglect and indifference. Is.56 characterizes these watchmen and shepherds. Isaiah 56.10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge;...

REFORMED THEOLOGY. REFORMED AND CRANMERIAN PRAYER BOOK CHURCHMANSHIP. AN ANGLICANISM THAT ONCE WAS, IS NOT TODAY, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT MAY BECOME. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 51-60. Psalm 4. Calvin discusses possible context: (1) Instances of persecution by Saul in his anti-God malice as a store-box of resentments. Pride rides the mule of envy. Or, (2) David in the coup d'etat of Absalom? Calvin opts for the first while leaving both on the table. He notes this is a musical piece for singers with instrumentalists. As for Joshua, Prof. Keil opens up 1.1-9 with a few exegetical comments (as usual, dealing with Hebrew details). To wit, in English, Joshua is in command after Moses' death and will, according to the calling and supporting Jehovah, conquer and allocate the land. Penal punish...

REFORMED THEOLOGY AND REFORMED BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. HAND IN GLOVE. RESPECT AND HONOR OF GOD. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 41-50. Remarkably amidst the tumults of the coup d'etat, David lies down at night and sleeps restfully. Prof. Keil reminds the Vandals of Biblical destruction of God's character. The Marcionites of the 19th-20th centuries, speaking in a thick German brogue, tell us how mean God is to destroy the Canaanites. Prof. Keil witnesses the Vandals driving headlong at high speeds into an immoveable cement-brick wall of brute and brutal facts. To wit, the full-orbed character of God. The 21st century reader is reminded to read classical systematicians, e.g. Robert Reymond, not the Marcionitic Vandals. Witness that car accident. Jude calls the false professors as ...

5. CHAPTER V. 1549. Herein, Tom Cranmer the Archbishop gives his Answers to the fifteen Articles of the Devonshire rebels. A POLITE, BUT UTTERLY BRUTAL SMACKDOWN (76-139). Cranmer, the detective, smokes out the crafty Papist leaders tyrannously stirring up the crowd. Cranmer is deconstructing the arguments hoping reason is functional in the “ignorant people of Devonshire” (his words). They demand England return to the rule of the Pope—quite a thing, to “demand” as a word to King Edward VI and the constituted government. Make no mistake—this is Cranmer tasering papist leaders, arresting the few and doing a total smack-down of the ignoramuses who are blind and misled. No gentle and soft Archbishop here. FB might censor Dr. Cranmer for bullying.

REFORMED THEOLOGY. REFORMED PRAYER BOOK. HAND IN GLOVE. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 31-40. Psalms 3. David refuses to submit to the scoffings and taunts from those in the Devil's Dirty Tricks Department, railing against God's Word and promises to Israel--as enemies not just of David, but enemies of God. Prof. Delitzsch continues the slapdown and smackdown on the irrationalists who malign God as a God of miracles and One who destroys the wicked. Eichorn, for example, while holding to the essential historicity of Joshua, yet irrationally and according to the distorted devices of his wicked heart, tries to redefine God according to his own wee lil' view of God. Same old story on these modern Marcionites. Jude continues to expose the false and contumaceous professors of Christi...

REFORMED PRAYER BOOK THEOLOGY AND CHURCHMANSHIP. HAND IN GLOVE. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 21-30. Psalm 3. David continues his confident trust in the LORD, despite this temporal punishment imposed upon him and expressed through the coup d'etat of his son Adonijah. It's providential. Yet, with the songs of scoffings in his ears from celebratory yahoos, David rehearses him confidence in God's Word of promise. He's not giving up God's Word for insolent yokels and rebels. Prof. Keil continues to declaw and defang the confident Vandals of Biblical analysis (often called "criticism") with their efforts at multiplying authors, mixing in supposed sources and throwing dust into the eyes of believers. Bravo, Professor! Jude continues his butt-spank and butt-hurt on the...

1535—The speech of the archbishop, referring to the late Acts of Parliament. SOLA SCRIPTURA AND GOD'S ABSOLUTELY SOVEREIGNTY ABOVE ALL POWERS, ROYAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL. Pages 120-127 are golden. https://archive.org/details/lifearchbishopc04toddgoog/page/n158/mode/1up. Cranmer has well considered Papal and Conciliar Councils, showing historically the view of the sovereign and ruling governance of Scriptures to all. Hence, while defending Henry and Parliaments Act of Supremacy (booting the Thief of Rome out of England), it's not just an issue about Royal supremacy. Some historians have mischaracterized, to wit, that Dr. Cranmer was merely Henry's propagandist for royal authority. Dr. Cranmer was that, a sermonizer and propagandist on that, but he was more. First, as previously argued, he was a scholar, ambassador, and now was an archbishop "with a history" and noteworthy resume. Second, while canvassing the historical issues on the authority of Rome's...

1535. DR. CRANMER'S PREACHING IN KENT AND CANTERBURY. DR. CRANMERS PUTS A SMACK-DOWN ON A CANTERBURY PRIOR. BAM! You can be sure the back-channellers were chattering through the monastic networks. Dr. Cranmer continues his written report to Henry about his own preaching in Kent in favor of the Act of Supremacy. One incidental arises, namely, that Dr. Cranmer had prayed daily for years that the Pope’s power and doctrines would be broken in England. What is not discussed, however, is the content of that prayer—jurisdictional, doctrinal, or quasi-Lutheranizing? His letter does not give details other than the fact of his prayer that the Pope’s rule would be abolished in England. “And he [DPV, the smacked-down Prior] said also openly, that I [DPV, Dr. Cranmer] preached uncharitably when I said that, these many years, I had daily prayed unto God that I might see the power of Rome destroyed, and that I thanked God that I had now seen it in this realm. And yet in my sermon I declared th...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 11-20. In Psalm 3, David is on the run as a fugitive and victim of the coup d' etat. The enemies are scorning him, but not just King David, but the Sovereign God who anointed him King of Judah and Israel. Adonijah and his crew are blinded and indifferent to the divine action in David's and the church's life. They are mockers, scoffers and crude indifferentists. Prof. Keil continues to engage, scalp and bury the several Biblical vandals in search of multiplying authors for the book of Judges. The Prof. continues to assert unity of authorship and theorizes the authorship to be a contemporary of Joshua's who outlives him by perhaps a generation. A younger scholar? Jude continues his descriptive evaluations of the defiled and contumaceous professor...

REFORMED PRAYER BOOK THEOLOGY AND CHURCHMANSHIP. HAND IN GLOVE. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1-10. Psalm 3: King David is a fugitive and victim of a coup d' etat. He flees Jerusalem and turns to God. Jude notes that Michael the Archangel rebukes Satan simply and directly, in the full knowledge of the infinite supremacy over the foul, fallen angel: "The LORD rebuke thee!" That's ammo for us. Dr. Reymond gives a wonderful summary of the OT witness on inscripturation. Dr. Schaff bespeaks the 1522 letter of 11 Roman priests, Zwingli being 1 of the 11 signatories, to the Bishop asking for 2 things: (1) direct preaching from the Bible and (2) let the priests get married. In the second, the priests confess to the concubinage and the generally low level of clerical morality. ...

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 81-90.

ARE TOM'S VIEWS ON JUSTIFICATION SLIPPING INTO THE PREACHING? SOME SHIFTS ARE DETECTED. HE'S NOT A NAIVE, ARTLESS WAIVE, BUT HE PLAYS REALPOLITIC. CHAPTER V. 1534 to 1535. Acts of Parliament abolishing the papal supremacy were passed. The Archbishop was a key player in the framing these Acts. His previous scholarly studies since 1529, inferably, were easily accessible and useable in the debates. Declarations of public bodies—submissions—to the same purpose were secured from bishops, clergy, Parliament, the two universities and all monasteries. Submit or else. Oaths of submission were required concerning the succession to the Crown, to wit, Anne was a Queen—end of story. Sir Thomas More and Bshop Fisher refuse to take the oaths The ever-astute and ever-crafty Archbishop proposes to Cromwell a carve-out, an end-run, that will preserve the lives of More and Fisher, but also will quell objections from Catherine, Mary, their factions and the nation. To wit, if More and Fisher sig...

1.      1553. CHAPTER V. Archbishop Cranmer was attainted for attainted of treason—stained, sullied, befouled. The Dean of Canterbury, Dr. Wotton, fills the Archbishop’s vacancy. The Archbishop sues for pardon of treason, notably, after all the other co-signatories to the “Device” were pardoned. He obtains the pardon for the attainder. Rather than be charged with a political crime, he prefers to address the theological issues and reform. On those grounds, he was willing to speak to any and all. He desires to an open communication with Queen Mary 1 concerning Reformed theology but also the reasons behind Henrician and Edwardian reforms, matters that had been “studiously” concealed from her (62-69).

1547. THE ARCHBISHOP, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY AND THE EUCHARISTIC PRESENCE. The 58-year old Archbishop takes cognizance and care of the universities, notably, his alma mater, Cambridge University. His influence and sway was great there. Some of St. John's college apply to him over a certain and recent danger, to wit, a young French student who cut the string to the pyx hanging above the altar. Fears within St. John’s are expressed to Tom for counter-reactions. Rather than receding, the students redouble their effort in studying the Eucharistic Presence. The Master succeeds in quelling the offense (to those outside St. John’s and more widely in Cambridge) and succeeds in protecting the offender.

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 61-70. UPSHOT TO PSALM 2: Memo to Kings, Presidents, and others in governmental service: FEAR GOD AND HUMBLE YOURSELVES. Of course, that applies to high and low and to every person.

ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, 203ff. More exiles and he survived Constantius, Constans, and Julian the Apostate with the regnant and marauding Arianism. Exiled and repatriated to Alexandria several times, he finally died in 373 AD, a supporter of homo-ousios, Three Persons of the same substance, Three Persons in One God. He died 8 years shy of a resolution at the Church of St. Irene, Constantinople, in 381 AD.

CHAPTER 19: ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA (c. 296-373 A.D.). Athanasius of Alexandria—Athanasius in his early years was Coptic, dark-skinned, dwarfish, popular, connected to the people, supportive of desert monks, Incarnational, and, in time, was antagonistic to Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia and Gregory, the latter being deemed a usurper Bishop of Alexandria. Athanasius is bold and invincible. He is known to history as the “Iron Willed Bishop” of Alexander and a determined and deadly foe of Arianism.

1539-1540. SIX ARTICLES, GREAT BIBLE. CANTERBURY FOUNDATIONS. The Six Articles of 1539 was discussed by Luther, Justas Jonas, Bugenhagen and Melanchthon and they were flabbergasted, believing Henry to be an unprincipled opportunist and an unreliable ally. The Duke of Saxony was informed of the opinion. The Germans talk about the principled reformers, but Cranmer is not included in the list. Letters from Bucer and Grynaeus express the Continental view (194). Meanwhile and on a better note, Cranmer’s Great Preface to the 1540 Bible—a considerable piece—is discussed including Cranmer’s two-fold concerns for the slow-indifferent needing the spur in Bible reading and the rash-heated needing the bridle in Bible reading, both points being Henrician concerns. The reordering or refoundation of Christ Prior of Canterbury Cathedral is discussed with Cromwell and Henry over-ruling Cranmer interests (196).

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil and Delitzsch on the Prophetical History of Israel. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation. Westminster Shorter Catechism 41-50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT9QO_ySR2s

Jane Seymour gives birth in Oct 1536 to Edward VI and Tom is the godfather for the christening. Several days later, Jane is dead and we’ll get the serio-comedy of Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard, the lynx. No one knows who officiated at Henry’s and Jane’s marriage. Tom? On Tom’s nullity-rulings, the marriage to Jane Seymour was the first. We get a run on the Ten Articles in summer 1536, Henry’s royal hand in shaping them up, Pollard’s mild effort at sanitizing, and a brief description in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire over taxes and enclosures, more largely, but to some degree against”   Crim, Cranm, and Riche, With three L, and their liche, As some men teach, God them amend. And that Aske may, Without delay, Here make a stay, And well to end.

4. Cranmer and Reform, 88-123. The Act of Supremacy: “THAT our said Sovereign Lord shall have full 1 power and authority from time to time to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain, and amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offences, contempts, and enormities, whatsoever they be, which by any manner spiritual authority or jurisdic- tion are or may lawfully be reformed, repressed . . . most to the pleasure of Almighty God, the increase of virtue in Christ's religion, and for the conservation of the peace, unity, and tranquillity of this realm." A King thinking himself to be Christ, the Head of the Church. Pompaholic. BTW, Henry's as dead as the cat out back. Escorted from his high throne to his buried coffin. Cranmer has to declare the nullity of Catherine and Anne’s marriages. He wants the English Bible for the land. Pollard doesn’t think Luther is all-that-Lutheran. Reform of abuses, less so for doctrine. However, the book burning in 1521 by Wolsey...

Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitschz on the Prophetical Books. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation. WSC 1-10. Be prepared. One will always be facing "foreordained" reprobates "inside and outside the church." Sometimes, insiders are the slickest, e.g. the School of Marburg (Bultmann) or the Adulterer of Basel (Barth).  Hence, learn how to use your rifle and spend time on the practice range. "One shot, one kill" (Marine infantry motto). One is forewarned, e.g. Jude 2. Also, in reviewing Psalm 2, while the confederated, puffy, proud poohbahs of power join  together--in their solemn determination with assembled forces against God--be of good cheer. God mocks and derides them. He's never surprised or overtaken, but sees these intertwined and intertwisted snakes in the dirt from afar. If God laughs, a good and fair deduction--we may laugh at the products of unregenerate beings too...

Once and for all, it is finished. That's it: Done. Gone. Basta. Finito. No more. Bye, bye RES.  The (old) Reformed Episcopal Church and Reformed Episcopal Seminary, since its founding in 1887, was Protestant, Anti-Tractarian, Anti-Ritualizing, Anti-Romewardizing, Confessional, Creedal, Orthodox, Reformed and Calvinistic, Evangelical and Episcopalian. To assert otherwise is to suicidally drive one's car into a cement wall of contrary, brutal and immutable facts. Or, to have a car crash with historical reality...and to lose the argument, as it were. The proud Philistines of Generation #5 raced headlong and smashed into the brick wall and killed the past....to pursue a New Oxford Movement, 2001-2010. Some bodies were never recovered from the crash. Others escaped with their lives and integrity intact. The RES never recovered from the sad saga of shame.

More Calvinistic and Reformed Anglicans at the old Reformed Episcopal Seminary. Dr. Fred Kuehner, Dr. (Bishop) Theophilus Herter, Dr. Gailbraith Todd, and Dr. Lawrence Gilmore. Furthermore, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, North America, authorized the Reformed Episcopal Seminary to be a seminary for its potential ordinands. That was so for the OPC and PCA in Generation #4. Unfortunately, that is no longer suitable for Reformed Churchmen. The old Reformed Episcopal Church and Reformed Episcopal Seminary, since its founding in 1887, was Protestant, Anti-Tractarian, Anti-Ritualizing, Anti-Romewardizing, Confessional, Creedal, Orthodox, Reformed and Calvinistic, Evangelical and Episcopalian. To assert otherwise is to suicidally drive one's car into a cement wall of contrary, brutal and immutable facts. Or, to have a car crash with historical reality...and to lose the argument, as it were. Generation #5 auctioned that wonderful heritage off to pursue a New Oxford Movement, 2001-2010...

Bishop Rudolph, Dr. George Handy Wailes, Dr. Gordon Clark, Dr. Cornelius Van Til, Bishop Peach, Bishop Cuthbertson, Bishop Higgins, Dr. Robert K. Rudolph. The Reformed Episcopal Seminary, since its founding in 1887, was Protestant, Anti-Tractarian, Anti-Ritualizing, Anti-Romewardizing, Confessional, Creedal, Orthodox, Reformed, Evangelical and Episcopalian. To assert otherwise is to suicidally drive one's car into a cement wall of contrary, brutal and immutable facts. Or, to have a car crash with historical reality...and to lose the argument, as it were.

Other than the hagiographic attributions and imputations to Cranmer on the last few, funny, and man-exalting pages, this volume is good. The Dean of Canterbury hustles falsely or, perhaps, simply falls for the artless-childlike-naive-narrative of Cranmer while laughably commenting about the "reckless Swiss innovators." The last few pages of this volume should be tossed. A good book until those last few pages of Anglican and English hubris.

A review is given of the third through sixth recantations of Dr. Cranmer, each more explicit and abject than the preceding and each signed by his own hand. Dr. Cole visits him the night before the burning on 20 Mar 1556. Dr. Cole is the preacher since Mary wanted “good sermons” preached at the burning of heretics. Cranmer slept until 5 AM, 21 Mar 1556. It was a foul and raining day in Oxford, so Dr. Cole wanted the sermon to be preached in St. Mary’s rather than outside in the rain. Dean Mason describes the emotive tone of the event. Dr. Cranmer is given space to speak. He thanks the auditors for their prayers, leads them in the LORD’s prayer but without the Ave Maria, and begins his recitation of the Apostles’ Creed. Then, he drops the bomb. A Navy flare at night. The emphasis of a bomb exploded on target. God had ordained and permitted this awful fall, only to magnify and strengthen Tom and the English Reformation. WCF 5.5 is the theological hermeneutic for Tom's disastrous fall ...

Leaders in Generation 2: Dr. Joseph David Wilson, Dr. William Russell Collins, Bishop Robert Livingston Rudolph, and Dr. George Handy Wailes. The two influencers and notables were the Reformed Churchmen, Bishop Rudolph and Dr. Wailes, upon whom we'll focus. Thus far, the first and second generation Reformed Episcopal leaders were scholarly, anti-Tractarian, Protestant, Reformed (confessionally), Evangelical and Episcopalian, operating within the parameters of their once-Unalterable "Declaration of Principles," now in 2021, altered and stashed in the attic and put in the "past tense" with its uncertain present and future tense. The current sense today by many is that the RES has become a Disney World for fun rides and liturgical toys. Reformed Churchmen need to find seminary training elsewhere.

The order for degradation, humiliation and laicization of Dr. Cranmer is carried out, from the crozier to the chasuble (which he hadn’t worn for 5 years) to the shaven head to the investiture in a yeoman’s gown and townsman’s cap…is carried out by the insolent, senseless Bloody Bonner and the timid, but heart-broken Cuthbert Tunstall. BTW, both Bonner and Tunstall, like Wily Winchester, had been as lion-throated for Henrician supremacy and were as denunciatory of Papal authority in England as had been Dr. Cranmer himself. By the time this event occurs in early 1556, Wily Winchester’s, unfortunately, was interred in the northern aisle of Winchester—he should have been taken out back somewhere. But, that’s for another day.

Dr. Cranmer pens two letters to Mary hoping to show the illogicality of taking an oath to Papal supremacy while taking her oath to the realm. Unfortunately, Tom must have been thinking that she might think logically. He was merely reiterating a Henrician and Edwardian approach. Meanwhile, Paul IV rules sua sponte and without a trial--he condemns Cranmer for failure to appear in Rome (which was stopped in England...no way he could go although he wanted to go). Imagine had Dr. Cranmer engaged with Pope Paul IV on academic grounds? Cardinal Caraffa, the blood-thirty Cardinal killing Neapolitans in Italy, could not have managed Dr. Cranmer. But, conveniently, the English kept Cranmer in Oxford, the time lapsed, and Pope Paul IV ruled Cranmer "contumacious" for failure to show and also an heretic. The English show trial at Oxford will be approved by the Pope, by the legatine delegate, Deacon AKA Cardinal Pole, and further delegated to Bishop Brooks of Gloucester. This trial was ri...

5. Cranmer’s Last Years, 165-203. Edward VI dies. Cranmer signs the instrument to have the Seymour girl installed as Queen along with all Councilors of the Privy Council, minus one. That arrangement last about 9 days and Mary rides into London as England’s Queen. The “device” supporting the Seymour girl has the support of judges. Cranmer will later write a letter to Mary with his usual craftiness and skills of debating, lying behind the mask. He signed it, period. The objection that he did not know the law is less than weak. If he could not attest to it, simple—don’t sign it. But, he did sign it. Own it, Tom. This points to the disaster of an Archbishop meddling in civil affairs, but his dedication to Erastianism was pure. He lived by such and would die by such. Meanwhile, in August and by mid-September 1553, a monk in Canterbury Canterbury reinstitutes the Latin Mass, in violation of the law. Some knave puts up posters around London that Cranmer was the instigator. Our pliable Archbis...

Early professors in Generation 1-2 (1887-1931): Bishop Hoffman, Bishop Nicolson, the Rev. Dr. Howard-Smith, Dr. Muller, Dr. Pennington, and Rev. James Gray.  Concurrently to serving at RES, Dr. Pennington served also as the Dean and Provost of the University of Pennsylvania for 46 years, having earned his BA and PhD from UPenn.  Dr. Max Muller was the OT and NT Prof. starting in 1890. His PhD was from Leipzig, having studied at Erlangen, Leipzig, Berlin and Munich. Concurrent to serving at RES, he was an Assistant Prof of Egyptology at UPenn and conducted numerous expeditions to the Near East under the Carnegie Institute. He was competent in Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Egyptian, and Sanskrit, contributing articles to the Jewish Encyclopedia and serving as the co-editor of Gesenius's Hebrew Lexicon (still in use). He drown while vacationing at a NJ resort in 1919.  More could be said and will be said, God willing. But, theological talent, commitment and outreach were not wantin...

Dependability of God’s Word: Inerrancy—Dr. Erickson gives various conceptions of inerrancy with his usual long-jawing and over-talking his points. There is the Biblical view of divine inspiration and infallible authority or the non-Biblical views (Bible is a witness to revelation but not propositional revelation, blah, blah). Augustine: “I have learned to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error. And if in these writings I am perplexed by anything which appears to me opposed to truth, I do not hesitate to suppose that either the manuscript is faulty, or the translator has not caught the meaning of what was said, or I myself have failed to understand it” (Augustine, Letter 82.3). Erickson shows no awareness of Dr. Cranmer’s Confutation of Unwritten Verities or Prof. Whittaker’s Disputations on Holy Scripture. He tells us that if this doctrine is abandoned, the other doc...

Northern uprisings in 1536 and 1537 detail, specifically, evangelical reformers with Cranmer cited. The ecclesiastico-legal network chattered, a network said to include the cautious Archbishop Lee of York as well as the Aragonese network reaching to Spain. Cranmer’s credentials and reputation was known. Tom knows he's a known or suspected evangelical reformer. MacCulloch notes that Cranmer did not enrich himself as monasteries were being closed, but got in a few legal and financial pinches on a few properties in Kent. How far would Cromwell go in pursuing reforming ideals? How far would Henry VIII allow change?