Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Friday, December 13, 2013

13 Dec 2013, Advent: Lucy the 4th Century Martyr

13 December. 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Lucy the Martyr
http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/notes/saints.html#Lucy

Lucy, the Martyr (of Syracuse, Italy…a lovely town from antiquity and lovely in our times); according to unidentified, unconfirmed but existing tradition back to the 4th century during Diocletian’s imperial persecutions, Lucy was a martyr. According to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, it is a day of historical inquiry and remembrance, not exaltation and surely not saint-worship. Remembrance and respect, not veneration, for those who laid their lives down for the sake of the Risen Redeemer. "A millennium is one day" in the sight of His Majesty. A day and half back for His Majesty, like yesterday. He has long and accurate memories, better than our historical efforts. These martyrs are not forgotten nor will they be forgotten in that “Great Day,” a day to be remembered in Advent 2013.

Revelation 6.9ff.

“9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

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