John Foxe and Thomas Cranmer

The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe, Vol. VIII (London: R.B. Seely and W. Burnside, 1839). This volume contains a preliminary dissertation by the Rev. George Townsend, M.A., Prebendary of Durham and Vicar of Northallerton, Yorkshire.

Volume Eight starts in bloody Mary’s reign,1556, and concludes in Elizabeth’s, 1559. The storyline is summarized thus: “…from the bloody murderings of God’s saints with the particular processes and names of such Godly martyrs, both men and women, as in this time of Queen Mary, were put to death.”

This eighth volume is available at:

http://books.google.com/books?id=uRMXAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA470&dq=john+foxe&as_brr=1&ei=kxJISreuHqa6zgTNz8Vk

This particular volume in the pdf.format is 805 pages. This work contains an exquisite time-line, a dream time-line, from a lawyer’s standpoint, to wit, the perspective of “what did you know, when did you know it, and when did you do it?” Additionally, having read Foxe in years bygone and once last year, they were abridged versions. This volume is not abridged and the Protestant and Reformed ethos starts on page one. The Anglo-Catholics won't be liking this version either.

The story starts with a 140-page rehearsal of the situation with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Cranmer was from a gentleman’s family in Nottinghamshire and ultimately matriculated at the University of Cambridge. In time, he would become a fellow at Jesus College. The standard fare of academia was the Schoolmen. Divinity was controlled by distinctions and questions that obscured the perspicuity of Scriptures. Cranmer was schooled along these lines. The story shall be continued.

Questions for discussion. How did Cranmer develop in his love for Scripture? How did Cranmer relate Scriptures to patristics and the Creeds? We are aware that, as an Examiner for ordinands, he demanded knowledge of the Scriptures before the Schoolmen. He turned many ordinands away for the deficiency in the knowledge of Scriptures. Up0n improving their store of Biblical knowledge, they were glad for it in later years. What was his growth during the 1520’s? We’ll leave the 1530-1556 for later discussions.

We are aware the sola Scriptura was a growing and governing concern for the Bishop in the 1520’s.

That story is for another day. Perhaps others inquiring into Anglicanism will afford us comments on this book.

Regrettably, we are confident that US Anglicans will not be addressing these works. However, that amnesia does not norm or govern our behaviour or duty to understand the DNA of Anglicanism...as her loyal sons.

To be continued.