The Prayer Book - Lessons from the Reformation: Cranmer (Warning this is hardcore stuff that may need you to think deeply but it will change your life)

Whilst he may look academic and stuffy the guy on your left is a man who changed the world. Who is he? He is Thomas Cranmer the author of the anglican prayer book (a little book all anglican/church of England churches use to run church).

Writing a little book on how to do church doesn't sound like much but this little book changed the way church was done in England, Europe and even Australia (later on though). Yet despite this claim to fame Cranmer was martyred for Jesus. In England under the reign of Queen Mary he was burnt alive. So what is the story of this Jesus freak?

Cranmer was the archbishop Canterbury (basically the head bishop of England) under King Henry VIII (he is the guy who either divorced or beheaded most of his wives).



Henry was a full on Roman Catholic, that is until the Catholic church would not approve of one of his divorces. Henry decided that in England he would be the head of the church not the Pope (there are few more details but this is the vibe of it). Henry needed someone who would help him run the church in England and so Henry turned to Cranmer. Under Henry Cranmer couldn't do much. Henry even though he had left the Roman Catholic church still held to many of their beliefs. Cranmer however loved the Bible. Every time he tried to change the church in England he would make a little ground and then lose a bit of ground back to Henry, it was a dangerous tightrope he was walking.

Finally Henry died and his son Edward came to the throne. Edward had Protestant (the good guys) tutors and had been raised as a protestant. He was on board with what Cranmer wanted to do. Cranmer than wrote what is known as the book of common prayer (prayer book). Before this all of England had been Catholic. Many of the Catholic priests didn't even understand what they were saying in the services (nor did the people as according to Catholic tradition all the services were in Latin). The book applies the Bible to pretty much every situation of church life (e.g. weddings, funerals, Easter, sunday church etc). It made the Bible accessible for the average person. Every service was to have multiple Bible readings in it. Such as an Old Testament reading, a Psalm and a New Testament reading. Following the prayer book people in a year would have heard the Old Testament read in church once and the New Testament twice.
Cranmer not only showed England how important the Bible was but helped English people to know their Bibles.

The other great thing about the prayer book is that it contained what is known as the articles of Faith. Originally there were 42 written by Cranmer but after his death it was brought back to 39 (often known as the 39 articles). These summed up what Cranmer thought the Bible was teaching. In this way Cranmer helped people to see what the whole Bible was saying on really important topics (e.g. Jesus' death).

Sadly Cranmer died under the hand of Queen Mary. She was a strong Catholic who despised Cranmer. After prison, torture and brainwashing Cranmer finally recanted (announced that he gave up his protestant beliefs). To gain some good PR from this Mary made Cranmer announce his recantation in front of a large church assembly. But Cranmer coming to his senses got up in front of the church and recanted on his recantation. He declared himself to be a protestant and spoke of the Bible not the Pope being God's authority. Cranmer was then put into the fire, where he put his right hand in first as a symbolic gesture for it was his right hand that signed his recantation. You can watch it described here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlrGNZL7CVc

What do we learn?
The main thing we learn from Cranmer is how important the Bible is. The Bible is an important part of church, it is where we hear God speak. This is not only worth fighting for, it is worth dying for. We should make sure the Bible is in whatever language people are speaking and we should make sure that in church that not only do we read the Bible but teach people to read their Bibles. The Bible reading is not a small part of the service, it is the main part.

I love singing at church, I love coffee after church, I love watching clever videos in church but the two fundamental, primary and most important parts of church are the Bible reading (and the Bible being preached and explained) and prayer. This is because listening and talking to God are fundamental to the Christian life. So in church, Ignite, all that we do as Christians these should be things we take the most time and treat as really important. These are things worth dying for, maybe one day we might have to?

Passages for Reflection:

¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13)


¹ I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:12-17)