6 July 1553 A.D. Edward VI, England’s Boy-King and Reformed Josiah, Dies

6 July 1553 A.D. Edward VI, England’s Boy-King and Josiah, dies.

Dr. Rusten tells one version of the story.

Rusten, E. Michael and Rusten, Sharon. The One Year Christian History. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.  Available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Christian-History-Books/dp/0842355073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393302630&sr=8-1&keywords=rusten+church+history

By 1534, Henry VIII had made himself the English equivalent of the Pope in England rather than Italy and Europe, as the Popes had done or had tried to do repeatedly. 

Henry’s matrimonial conquests produced one lad, Edward, born in 1537.

It is claimed that Henry, an Anglo-Italian, provided the lad with Protestant tutors.  The claim needs to be tested.

Henry died.  Edward was crowned Edward VI.  They buried an “ogre” and crowned a “Reformer,” as the narrative goes. But, was it Edward or the appointed Council of Regency or Edward Seymour, a Protestant “Protector of the Realm?” 

Henry had tossed the Pope’s jurisdiction but sovereignly exercised his own.

But, this much:

• English rather than Latin services were introduced to the nation
• English Bible lections were introduced to the nation
• 1552 Prayer Book revision pruned more Romanism from the services
• The 42 Articles were penned, encapsulating Mr. (Canterbury) Cranmer’s theology
• “Masses” were excluded and renamed “Lord’s Supper” to avoid Roman doctrines
• Thomas Cranmer was Reformed in theology, not Lutheran and not Roman
• Reformed theologians were brought into the nation
• These changes would be solidified under Elizabeth and England would experience substantial changes as a result

Dr. Rusten claims it was a “mild” Reformation.  Actually, these were some significant changes.  It’s no exaggeration to say that the English-speaking world was forever influenced.  It’s only been since the 1970s that the Vatican permitted vernacular services for English-speaking Romanists, itself, a major change to what began with the Edwardean Reformation.

Dr. Rusten posts a reported prayer recited by Edward 3 hours prior to death (which he oddly attributes to “congenital syphilis” as he did for Mary 1).  Here’s the prayer:

“Lord God, deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life, and take me among Thy chosen: howbeit not my will but thy will be done.  Lord, I commit my spirit to Thee.  O Lord, thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with Thee; yet for Thy chosen sake send me life and health that I may truly serve Thee.  O Lord God, save Thy chosen people of England.  O my Lord God, defend this realm from papistry, and maintain thy true religion, that I and my people may praise Thy holy name, for thy Son Jesus Christ’s sake.”

If true, this is a prayer that no Pentecostalist, TBNer,  Word of Faither,  Rick Warrenite, Newmanian, Tractarian, or modern Anglican—once Reformed—would ever make today.  First, his prayer was not answered.  He died 3 hours later.  Second, Edward speaks of misery in this life, something no self-aggrandizing Warrenite or Osteenite would acknowledge.  They believed in original and actual sins in those times.  Third, Edward thought Romanism was not a true religion and should not have any place in merry England.  So much for the Edwardian prayer and England too.

Sources

Ashley. The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens. 20, 636-7.

Duffield, G.E. “Edward VI.” EC. 4: 17.

Durant. The Reformation. 579-87.

Petty, P.W. “Edward VI (1537-1553).” NIDCC. 333-4.

Smith, Preserved. The Age of the Reformation. New York: Holt, 1920. 310-17.

Williamson. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. 170-91.