Thomas Cranmer

Bitesize Biographies

by Colin Hamer

Thomas Cranmer, one of the Reformation's most famous martyrs, can accurately be described as the architect of the Church of England, and consequently, of the worldwide Anglican communion. Despite this, compared with other key figures of the Reformation, little has been written about him in recent years. This omission is both remarkable and understandable: remarkable, because undoubtedly Crammer's involvement in England's break with the historic Roman Church was crucial - a break which formed the foundation for the freedom of the gospel in England for the next 450 years; understandable, because his was no dramatic conversion loved by story tellers - rather he undertook a life-time journey away from the Roman sacramental system to an understanding that heaven was the gift of God to all those whom he loves.

Genres: Biography, Christian, Church History, Nonfiction

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Neil Kruger]

Thomas Cranmer is one of the most fascinating characters of the Reformation. He fluctuated between compromise and conviction, affirmation and recantation, and yet died as a martyr for the Protestant cause.

This short biography does a terrific job of sketching the complex context Cranmer found himself in and how he went about navigating this.

[Mark]

Never heard of Thomas Cranmer until our pastor mentioned him in Sunday school. Shortly thereafter, found this small book at a gift shop in Lancaster, PA while on vacation. Well written, concise distillation of his life and its importance to the Reformation and Christianity as a whole. His work is relevant even today.

[Miles Smith]

A good short biography of Cranmer that gets the broad scope of his life correct but is somewhat hampered by Evangelical ideological and theological tics.

[Rick Shrader]

While visiting my son’s apartment, I spent the afternoon reading this small book which is in a series on church history. Having been in England many times and being interested in its history, especially from Henry VIII forward, I found this book fascinating. Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) was an evangelical force behind Henry VIII’s departure from the Roman Catholic Church and establishing of the Church of England with the King as Supreme Head. Cranmer served as Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry, his son Edward, Mary Tudor, or “bloody Mary,” under whose rule he was executed. Cranmer supported Henry’s annulment of marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn, the first and second of the six wives of Henry VIII. This was against Catholic marriage law and caused Henry, with Cranmer’s support, to declare the Church of England a separate, mostly Protestant Church with the King as Head.
The next three rulers of England were Henry’s children by different wives: Edward VI by Jane Seymour, Mary Tudor by Catherine of Aragon, and Elizabeth I by Anne Boleyn. Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) tried to return the Church to Rome and so Thomas Cranmer was in trouble for previously supporting the departure. He was arrested with two other evangelical preachers, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley and sentenced to burn at the stake. In an unfortunate twist of history, though Latimer and Ridley burned in Oxford, Cranmer recanted and was spared—for a while. Later, however, at Mary’s increased hounding, Cranmer was again sentenced and this time went to the flames. He first extended his “unworthy” hand that had written the recantation into the fire, saying, “This which hath sinned, having signed the writing, must be the first to suffer punishment,” and then he was burned himself in the fire.

link: See more book reviews on my web site

[Phil Griffin]

Excellent, very readable and honest account of the life of Thomas Cranmer over the changing times of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary. It shows his important, and maybe not well understood, contribution to the Church of England during the Reformation as one who accepted the Bible as the final authority.

[Mark Murray]

A basically a friendly biography of Thomas Cranmer and not entirely undeserved. Cranmer was set into a turbulent and rocky time and he acquitted himself well. Living within the politics, both church and state he often compromised out of necessity. He saw the end game as more important than the individual battles. May we do as well in our turbulent and rocky times.

[Greg]

A concise biography of Thomas Cranmer, the person at the center of the English Reformation. A really good overview of English politics in church and state covering Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary.
A quick read without too much detail to give an overview of the period.