Cranmer Readings: 10/10/2022

Diarmaid MacCulloch’s Thomas Cranmer. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1996. (289-293). One hears of tumults in the Convocation of Canterbury in late January 1542. Of note, the Catherine Howard fiasco is on-going. London is in turmoil like the diocese of Canterbury with “sermon wars.” The subjects at Convocation were Bible revision of the Great Bible and Cranmer’s proposed by failed efforts at abolishing candles before images, silk and other fineries, and expungement of the Pope’s and Becket’s names from service books. Of note, the Sarum Use was continuing. But, the big bombshell at Convocation was Cranmer’s surprising announcement that Bible revision was to be handled at OXBRIDGE, cutting out the Bishops. That didn’t go over well with the Prelates. Meanwhile, Prebendary Gardiner (no relation to Wily Winchester, Stephen Gardiner) is still fueling hate and discontent in Canterbury Cathedral. Cranmer summons the Prebendary to Lambeth, but is arrogant claiming large support back at the Cathedral. That issue of the Prebendaries' Plot was still in the making. Ridley, Jaspar. Thomas Cranmer. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1962. (251-257). Cranmer plays hide-and-seek, as it were, staying in his diocese inasmuch as was practicable. He had no part in the burning of Anne Askew and her companions as sacramentaries—those denying the bone-crunchy-muncher view of the Eucharist. But let it be well noted: Cranmer was judicially involved in burning eleven “heretics:” Frith, Lambert, three Dutch Anabaptist, Barnes, Jerome, Garret and three heretics from Windsor, among others (253). Cranmer had written to Vadian in Dec 1537 that he read all of Zwingli and Oecolampadius and disavowed their view in light of his patristic work. In another note, we hear of the meeting between Henry VIII and the French Admiral at Hampton Court on 24 Aug 1546 in which Henry astounds all, especially Cranmer, that Henry and Francis would unite, abolish the Mass and institute Holy Communion. That was a Royal bombshell that would have to wait until Edward VI’s reign. Jaspar Ridley suggests this may have influenced Cranmer’s conversion to the Reformed view as much as Ridley’s academic discussions with Cranmer. The story is retold of Henry’s final night at Whitehall. Doctors feared informing Henry of the impending death, but Dr. Butts took the lead, summoned Cranmer from Croydon (15 miles from Whitehall), and did his pastoral duties as Henry went to the next world—38 years of the Henrician Tudor reign came to an end as another Tudor would accede the throne.