	The Architect of the Anglican Church
	Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) had a huge influence on the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. In fact, without him, the Anglican Church might well have never come into existence. If we ask what, as Anglicans, we believe, probably the best answer is to look at our worship, our services of Communion and our other services. They express what we believe, and much of their content is directly or indirectly based on the work of Cranmer. He has of course also, through The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), had a very significant influence on the development of the English language. The version of this book in our churches was in fact published in 1662, but it is substantially based on the book authorised in 1552, that was written largely by Cranmer. I am writing about Cranmer now because I have just finished a biography of him by Diarmaid MacCulloch. This long, intricate and fascinating book was published just over 10 years ago, and it has taken me about that long to read it! It is worth thinking about Cranmer now because one aspect of the legacy that he left us is attracting less and less support. Fewer and fewer people have grown up with the BCP, and it is like a foreign language to most people who are new to church. I think that Cranmer would be amazed that we are still using his actual words over 450 years after he wrote them. He wanted church worship to be in the language of the people, and the words of the BCP are certainly not the language of our generation. Of course, part of the problem is Cranmer’s success in producing prayers that are so poetic and so memorable. No one else in the centuries since he lived seems quite to have succeeded in matching his skill and inspiration. So we are in a dilemma. We either cling on to Cranmer’s Tudor language that means less and less to modern people, or we carry on trying to find a way in which we can use Common Worship – Church of England worship that has evolved over recent years. I love a good deal of the language of Common Worship, and I really like the way in which it involves the whole congregation. I think we need to carry on exploring Common Worship to find those parts that are inspiring and appropriate for our church today. I would like to say something of Cranmer the man that has struck me from reading this biography. I think it is important to start with a few facts that help to set the scene. The Reformation probably dates from 1517 when Martin Luther began his strident criticism of the actions of the Roman Catholic Church at that time. Cranmer, a scholar and priest, began to take a great deal of interest in what was happening in the German states.	When Henry VIII wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon in 1529, Cranmer made suggestions that greatly attracted the king. He was sent to Germany by Henry, and while there, he married a German woman. Henry made him Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532. Cranmer managed to keep his head (something not many of Henry’s advisers managed to do!) until the king died in 1547. During the reign of the boy king, Edward VI, Cranmer led those who wanted to carry out a Reformation agenda in the Church, with all the prayers in English rather than Latin. A Book of Common Prayer was written in 1549, mainly by Cranmer, and revised by him in 1552. In 1553 Edward died, and Mary became queen. Mary had personal reasons for hating Cranmer. She blamed him for the divorce of her father and mother (Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon), and for her subsequent humiliation. She ensured that Cranmer was burnt at the stake for leading the nation away from the Roman Catholic faith. What strikes me from reading the biography is Cranmer’s astonishing achievement in difficult times. As well as being an adviser to a very difficult king, Henry VIII, he almost single-handedly put all church worship into English. He also carried out his duties as Archbishop of Canterbury with great commitment. He certainly made mistakes and some bad decisions, but he lived in very difficult times. In the agonising last few months of his life, when he was imprisoned and was suffering the type of psychological torture used by the Spanish Inquisition, he appeared to renounce some of his former beliefs; but at the very end he courageously reaffirmed his beliefs before being led to his execution. Cranmer was a cautious man who steered the English Church through dangerous and difficult times. After the death of Queen Mary in 1558, the structures he had put in place helped to bring stability, order and direction in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I have to say that I often find prayers in Common Worship more inspiring for me in the 21st century than Cranmer’s words in the BCP; but I think that Cranmer, who wrote inspiring worship which has lasted for centuries, challenges us to discover and use worship that is inspiring for us in our day. My admiration for Cranmer as an individual has greatly increased through reading the book. Martin Collins
	Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325

The Architect of the Anglican Church

Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) had a huge influence on the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. In fact, without him, the Anglican Church might well have never come into existence.

If we ask what, as Anglicans, we believe, probably the best answer is to look at our worship, our services of Communion and our other services. They express what we believe, and much of their content is directly or indirectly based on the work of Cranmer.

He has of course also, through The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), had a very significant influence on the development of the English language. The version of this book in our churches was in fact published in 1662, but it is substantially based on the book authorised in 1552, that was written largely by Cranmer.

I am writing about Cranmer now because I have just finished a biography of him by Diarmaid MacCulloch. This long, intricate and fascinating book was published just over 10 years ago, and it has taken me about that long to read it!

It is worth thinking about Cranmer now because one aspect of the legacy that he left us is attracting less and less support. Fewer and fewer people have grown up with the BCP, and it is like a foreign language to most people who are new to church.

I think that Cranmer would be amazed that we are still using his actual words over 450 years after he wrote them. He wanted church worship to be in the language of the people, and the words of the BCP are certainly not the language of our generation.

Of course, part of the problem is Cranmer’s success in producing prayers that are so poetic and so memorable. No one else in the centuries since he lived seems quite to have succeeded in matching his skill and inspiration.

So we are in a dilemma. We either cling on to Cranmer’s Tudor language that means less and less to modern people, or we carry on trying to find a way in which we can use Common Worship – Church of England worship that has evolved over recent years. I love a good deal of the language of Common Worship, and I really like the way in which it involves the whole congregation. I think we need to carry on exploring Common Worship to find those parts that are inspiring and appropriate for our church today.

I would like to say something of Cranmer the man that has struck me from reading this biography. I think it is important to start with a few facts that help to set the scene. The Reformation probably dates from 1517 when Martin Luther began his strident criticism of the actions of the Roman Catholic Church at that time. Cranmer, a scholar and priest, began to take a great deal of interest in what was happening in the German states.

When Henry VIII wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon in 1529, Cranmer made suggestions that greatly attracted the king. He was sent to Germany by Henry, and while there, he married a German woman. Henry made him Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532. Cranmer managed to keep his head (something not many of Henry’s advisers managed to do!) until the king died in 1547. During the reign of the boy king, Edward VI, Cranmer led those who wanted to carry out a Reformation agenda in the Church, with all the prayers in English rather than Latin. A Book of Common Prayer was written in 1549, mainly by Cranmer, and revised by him in 1552. In 1553 Edward died, and Mary became queen.

Mary had personal reasons for hating Cranmer. She blamed him for the divorce of her father and mother (Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon), and for her subsequent humiliation. She ensured that Cranmer was burnt at the stake for leading the nation away from the Roman Catholic faith.

What strikes me from reading the biography is Cranmer’s astonishing achievement in difficult times. As well as being an adviser to a very difficult king, Henry VIII, he almost single-handedly put all church worship into English. He also carried out his duties as Archbishop of Canterbury with great commitment. He certainly made mistakes and some bad decisions, but he lived in very difficult times.

In the agonising last few months of his life, when he was imprisoned and was suffering the type of psychological torture used by the Spanish Inquisition, he appeared to renounce some of his former beliefs; but at the very end he courageously reaffirmed his beliefs before being led to his execution.

Cranmer was a cautious man who steered the English Church through dangerous and difficult times. After the death of Queen Mary in 1558, the structures he had put in place helped to bring stability, order and direction in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

I have to say that I often find prayers in Common Worship more inspiring for me in the 21st century than Cranmer’s words in the BCP; but I think that Cranmer, who wrote inspiring worship which has lasted for centuries, challenges us to discover and use worship that is inspiring for us in our day.

My admiration for Cranmer as an individual has greatly increased through reading the book.

Martin Collins

The Architect of the Anglican Church

Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325