Cranmer Studies--8/25/2022

Alan Weatherall, “Thomas Cranmer: Theologian, Archbishop, and Theologian:” Alan comments on summer to Nov 1532 with Cranmer in Nuremburg (and elsewhere) as Henry’s ambassador to the Emperor’s court. Cranmer meets Rev. Andreas Osiander and niece, Margarete, his wife-to-be. In November 1532, Cranmer is recalled to England. What was going through Cranmer’s head, violating his vow of clerical celibacy, and yet recalled to England? What was he thinking? What kind of conversations were to be had between Tom and Margarete? Did Tom learn German? Weatherall theorizes on the handover to Ambassadodrial duties to Francis Hawkins. Curiously, he puts this in Mantua, Italy. This is November 1532 and Tom has orders to head back to England. But what of Margarete? And that discussion? This much: Cranmer wanted Papist power curtailed in England and he had some beginnings towards Wycliffian views of the Bible in England. Yet, he was ever-the-master of hiding his feelings. Poor fella. Rev. Dr. Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, “Theology of English Reformers:” 5. Ministry, 159-188. The English Ordinal. Priest and Presbyter. The pastoral nature of ministry. Vocation to the ministry. The Papacy and apostolic succession. Binding and loosing (the power of the keys). Cranmer understands that the bone-munchy-cruncher view of the Eucharist was the "tap-root" of the whole Roman soteriology. By 1550, he's laying down some smack on Wily Winchester's traditionalism, namely, the Reformed view of the Eucharist.