Cranmer had become more political in his methods, and took it upon himself to call prayers for the dissolution of papal power in England.
             The existence of a group supporting Lutheran ideas may be proof of some discontent with the Catholic Church, and his prayers may have reached out and swayed a close circuit of people, around Cranmer himself, towards the king being the supreme head, however, it cannot honestly be said that during Cranmer's 'academic prelude' , he influenced in any great way, the bringing about of the English Reformation. Cranmer's biographer, MacCullogh goes as far as to suggest, that we should even be wary when claiming that his time at Cambridge helped him to build himself 'up as a future evangelical reformer' . It must also be pointed out that the fact that a group Cambridge academics were calling for changes in the English church, it in no way meant that the general public had the same feelings. Academic's ideas are often secluded from those which are more prolific.
             It would not be unfair to say that Cranmer's dramatic rise in power was entirely due to his connections with Anne Boleyn. He was linked directly with the future queen in two ways: he was a member of Anne's Faction – an important group of people who were instrumental in the successful campaign for annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and unification with Anne. Of greater consequence however, were his activities as an 'evangelical protégé' of Anne, along with the likes of Latimer and Shaxton. Generally this was group interested in discussing and looking into the new faith. The group had the prominent backing of Anne Boleyn, an important and charismatic woman in her own right, but whose influence rose greatly when by 1527, the king had become infatuated with her, burned with passion to marry her and his craving for a male heir, something which, the now...