THOMAS CRANMER
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Born at Aslockton, Nottinghamshire 2 July 1489.
Was the first Protestant archbishop of Canterbury.
Had a teacher who was very severe and cruel, which left Cranmer with lifelong
uncertainties and pliabilities.
Entered Cambridge University in 1503 and was an undergraduate student at Jesus
College 1503 – 1511.
Elected to a fellowship at Jesus College about 1510.
Had to leave on his marriage soon afterwards in 1515.
He married a relative of the landlady of the Dolphin Inn.
His wife died in childbirth the same year.
He taught at Buckingham College (later Magdalene College).
He was later restored to his fellowship at Jesus College.
Cranmer became one of the outstanding theologians of his time.
He became one of "Little Germany" a group of scholars who met to discuss Martin
Luther's teachings. The group included Thomas Bilney among others.
In 1525 Cranmer included in his prayers one for the abolition of papal power in
England.
From 1527 Henry VIII wanted to be free from his first wife Catherine of Aragon to be
able to marry Anne Boleyn.
In August 1529 Cranmer left Cambridge for Waltham in Essex to avoid a sickness
sweeping Cambridge. There were there two of the king's chief councillors - Stephen
Gardiner and Edward Fox. They talked with Cranmer about the 'divorce'.
Cranmer suggested a debate on the subject by the English universities which
supported Henry's request.
Henry VIII summoned Cranmer and commanded him to leave all other duties and
devote himself to this issue. He accepted a commission to write a propaganda
treatise with Scriptural support for the divorce.
Cranmer was lodged in the home of Anne Boleyn's father at Durham Place.
Cranmer was appointed archdeacon of Taunton and became one of the king's
chaplains.
His treatise was then debated by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
He accompanied Anne Boleyn's father, the Earl of Wiltshire to Rome in 1530 to
present Henry VIII's case.
Here he was made a Grand Penitentiary of England.
In 1532 Cranmer was sent to Germany as ambassador to Emperor Charles V and
told to make contact with the Lutheran princes.
At Nürnberg he met Andreas Osiander. Osiander's position was between that of the
Lutherans and orthodoxy.
Despite his priest's orders, Cranmer married Osiander's niece, but kept the marriage
secret for 14 years.
He learned more Reformed beliefs at this time.
By January 1533 Thomas Cromwell was chief adviser in ecclesiastical matters and
also Anne Boleyn was pregnant.
Cranmer was chosen as Archbishop of Canterbury and consecrated in March 1533,
taking the obligatory oath to the pope without feeling bound by it.
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In May 1533, Cranmer convened his court at Dunstable and declared the king's
marriage to Catherine void from the beginning and declared the marriage with Anne
Boleyn valid.
The King of England became the head of the Church of England in 1534.
Monasteries were dissolved over the next five years. In 1536 Henry persecuted
William Tyndale and arranged for his execution; but two years later decreed an
English Bible be placed in every English church.
In 1536, he was convinced by dubious evidence of Anne's adulteries, and Cranmer
then declared that marriage invalid.
With Thomas Cromwell he promoted the publication of an English Bible (1538).
Also in 1538 he abandoned his belief in transubstantiation.
With the passage of the Act of Six Articles (1539) opposing clergy marriage and
those denying transubstantiation his position became less comfortable.
Cranmer sent his wife to Germany at this time.
In 1540 he did the same with Henry's fourth wife - Anne of Cleves.
In 1542 he acted in the proceedings resulting in Catherine Howard's treasonable
unchastity.
In 1545 Cranmer was now a committed reformer and developed a new liturgy for he
Reformed Church of England.
Cranmer's marriage to Margaret was kept secret until 1548.
He pleaded before Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell and others.
Cranmer appeared free from greed and was not devious.
He assisted Edward VI (became King in 1547) in the task of reformation.
In 1547 he published a "Book of Homilies".
In 1549 the first Protestant "Prayer Book" was printed.
In 1552 the second "Prayer Book" decidedly Protestant was printed.
Cranmer was influenced by Martin Bucer of Strassbourg and Nicholas Ridley of
England.
In 1553 Cranmer authored the "Forty-two Articles" - later reduced to 39 and officially
accepted by the Anglican Church.
The beauty of the liturgy of the Church of England owes much to Cranmer.
On Edward VI's death in July 1553, Cranmer became embroiled in politics and
succession. Lady Jane Grey though pronounced Queen was deposed after nine
days and Mary acceded to the throne.
Cranmer was charged with treason and condemned in November 1553 - being
imprisoned in the Tower of London.
While waiting for the repeal of the laws instituted by Henry VIII and Edward VI,
Cranmer along with Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley was moved to Oxford in
March 1554 to the Bocard's Prison.
The Heresy Laws were reinstituted that year and a long imprisonment began for
Cranmer.
In September 1555 a long trial commenced in St. Mary the Virgin Church. He
defended himself. On 14 February 1556 in a carefully designed humiliation
ceremony he was degraded from his episcopal and sarcedotal offices.
Many hard efforts were made to have Cranmer renounce his errors publicly.
In October 1555 he had been made to witness the martyrdom of Ridley and Latimer.
He signed the five so-called recantations most of which bound him to his monarch's
position.
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In his weak state he made a sixth and abject recantation of his whole religious
development.
His martyrdom was set for 21 March 1556 but first he was required to make a public
recantation.
With nothing to lose and peace of soul to gain, he shocked his enemies by
disavowing his recantations.
Thus he died and held his right hand out to the flames - the hand which had offended
by signing the recantations - until it was consumed.
His brave and dignified end made an enormous impression.