Remembering Archbishop Thomas Cranmer

Four hundred and fifty seven years ago today, on 21 March 1556, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer died at the stake in Oxford.

In 1989, Church Society published these extracts from his works in Cross†Way (PDF).

See also this 1990 article by D A Scales in Churchman (PDF) for an understanding of the key theological issues for which he died:

“The doctrine of the Lord’s Supper was not unimportant in Cranmer’s eyes, because that Sacrament speaks of the central doctrines of the Christian faith — of salvation through the atoning death of Christ. It was instituted, in St. Paul’s words, to proclaim the Lord’s death till he come: right views of the death of Christ and right views of the sacrament will tend to go together; false views of the sacrament will tend to obscure an understanding of our salvation through the finished work of Christ…”

Further reading:

Masters Of The English Reformation by Marcus Loane (published 1954) is an excellent introduction to the English Reformation and five key figures: Bilney, Tyndale, Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer. (Banner, Amazon, others.)

Portrait of Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.

Originally posted on the Anglican Church League website.