How Significant Was the role of Thomas Cranmer in Bringing a
Thomas Cranmer is one of the most famous names, from one of the most important periods of English history - the English reformation. Many people believe that he was crucial to the reformation and high emotions run around this character. Some herald him as the saviour of the Protestant religion; others vilify him for splitting the unity of the church in England and undermining Catholicism. However, it can also be argued that Cranmer's influence in carving out the religious mould for England was relatively slight in comparison to the will of the people, other advisors to the king - such as Thomas Cromwell, or the King himself. To look at it another way: How would the reformation and its outcomes be different if Cranmer was removed from the equation?Cranmer was appointed a fellow of Jesus College Cambridge in 1511. Cambridge University was known at this period of time for having progressive ideas when it came to religion. Therefore it is not surprising that Cranmer should have been taken in by the new-thinking in religion that had spread across much of Northern Europe. The chief exponent of this attitude towards Christianity was Luther in the Holy Roman Empire and, due to the invention of the printing press less than a century befo
Rather he felt that the shrewder steps to take, would be to canvass universities across Europe seeking the opinion of theologians as to whether the king should ever have been allowed to marry Catherine Of Aragon under laws stated in Leviticus, and therefore whether he should be granted an annulment. These were supported by Cromwell; however Cranmer was less accepting of them. But perhaps it can be said that merely the presence of an Archbishop of Canterbury who held openly protestant views was enough to sway many people towards his evangelical ideology. Of greater consequence however, were his activities as an 'evangelical protege' of Anne, along with the likes of Latimer and Shaxton. During the meal, conversation turned to the problems surrounding the king's divorce. Cranmer was sent to Europe as an agent to drum up support in the university towns. In the December of 1534, the convocation of Canterbury (probably at Cranmer's instigation) asked the king that he should decree a translation of the bible into the vernacular. In 1538, Cromwell used his own money to print copies of the English Bible and finally in 1539, Henry passed an act declaring that all parishes should own and use a copy of the English Bible. Whilst previously the Holy Roman Empire had been at war with France, and therefore both too preoccupied to react to England's religious affairs, they had now signed a peace agreement and both showed their open displeasure at what they saw going on in England. This was especially noticeable in the late 1530s and early 1540s. The cause of this could have been that Henry felt threatened from foreign disapproval and retaliation to his religious reforms. For this work Cranmer, along with a junior colleague had to collect original manuscripts, that would prove that the pope had not right to control religious affairs in other countries. This was the beginning of Cranmer's inauguration within the royal circle of trust. Henry liked the idea and agreed that a change of tactic may well be the answer. Generally this was group interested in discussing and looking into the new faith.
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