Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury
On June 9, 1549 the first Book of Common Prayer was introduced by an Act of Parliament into the parishes of the Church of England. It was one of the most influential and permanent products of the English Reformation. This joined the English translation of the bible that Cranmer had placed in every English church in 1538. The liturgies, with the exception of the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments, were in Latin until after the death of Henry VIII. Neither of these changes would have come about without the invention of type print and the printing of the first Bible by Johann Gutenberg between 1453-1455 and Cranmer’s desire to make the books of worship available to the people in their own language and not just to the clergy.

Thomas Cranmer, then a lecturer at Cambridge, from which he had graduated, came to Henry VIII’s notice through his idea that the annulment the King desired from Catherine of Aragon might find success if it were brought to the heads of the Universities of Europe. The discussion among the Universities never happened but Cranmer came to be seen by Henry as an ally. Henry appointed Cranmer first Chancellor and then Archbishop of Canterbury after the death of Cardinal Wolsey, just prior to the Cardinal’s death for treason. (Wolsey had been unable to make Rome agree to the annulment.) Cranmer’s appointment was confirmed by Pope Clement VII during a truce between him and the King and after much political and financial wrangling between the two political entities. It was obvious that Cranmer was to be Henry’s chief instrument in overthrowing Papal supremacy in England.

In 1533, Cranmer annulled Catherine’s marriage to Henry and three years later passed the same judgment on the King’s marriage to Anne Boleyn. He married Henry to Anne of Cleves and then divorced them.

In 1531 all clergy who supported Cardinal Wolsey were banished, but they could buy back their positions for financial considerations if they accepted that Henry was the single and supreme Lord, as far as the laws of Christ, in the Church of England.

From 1532 through 1535 the following happened:

No new ecclesiastical laws could be passed without the King’s permission
All existing statutes were examined for the King’s approval
Papal Bull threatens excommunication of Henry and the whole of England. Henry relents for a time
Henry forbids any further financial support to Rome
Henry removes all licenses and authority from Roman appointed clergy
Sir Thomas More and others are beheaded for treason as they will not accept the King’s Supremacy
King Henry used the growing nationalism in England to his advantage. “England for the Englishman” was the growing cry heard across the kingdom. Although Henry continued to be more Catholic than Protestant, it gave an opportunity for the Protestant Party to grow in power in England.

Even though there were bibles published throughout Europe in the peoples’ common languages, in 1538 Cranmer ordered the first bibles translated into English to be placed in parishes throughout the land. Now questionable interpretations of the Bible could be resolved by the individual instead of the Church Fathers, or the Church of Rome exclusively. The Bible was not so much the cause of Protestantism as was Protestantism a new interpretation of the Scriptures.

Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer gathered in to one simplified form the material that had always been used in monasteries and worship led by clergy and Bishops in the Roman Church. However, this book was in a language that all could understand and was available to both clergy and laity. Eventually, even the Psalms and the ordination services were added. The simplification of the rites and ceremonies constituted a large part of the reform of the liturgy. For example, the complicated form of the Daily Office, with its eight Hours, became Mattins and Evensong, or Morning and Evening Prayer. The use of holy things, such as ashes, palms and holy water were eliminated in the face of widespread superstitions around the powers given by blessing things themselves. There was also an increase in the reading of the Bible. At the Daily Offices, a full chapter of the Old and New Testament were read morning and evening. The Testaments would be read continuously from beginning to end. All one hundred and fifty psalms were to be read in order each month. Every effort was made to let the Word of God contained in the Bible sound loud and clear in the church.

The 1549 Book of Common Prayer attempted to deal directly with a number of the other shortcomings that occurred in the church. Laity were instructed to receive both cup and bread, and the priest was directed always to have someone to communicate with him. Baptisms were to be administered publicly only on Sundays and holy days, “when the most number of people may come together.” Private baptism was an emergency procedure. The book of 1549 was the tremendous work of Thomas Cranmer who produced it almost single handedly. However, it did not go far enough for many of the Protestants and it went too far for the followers of Rome.

Cranmer’s design in his two daily offices for all the psalms to be read through in order once a month had the virtue of simplicity. However, it makes it impossible to choose psalms whose themes might illuminate the lessons and prayers. We can see Cranmer’s influence in our own daily office lectionary beginning on page 452 of the Book of Alternate Services (BAS) with Year 1. Look at the explanation on page 450 to see how the years are chosen and the readings laid out. The numbers adjoining the day of the week are those for the psalms. Two of three lessons should be read at least once a day. Each lesson is followed by a canticle. Canticles are hymns of praise of penitence before God. The Te Deum (You are God: we praise you) and the Gloria in Excelsis (Glory to God in the Highest) are ancient hymns. The Apostles Creed is said in the Daily Office as a reaffirmation of one’s baptismal profession as Christians have done down through the ages. Then there follows a series of prayers ending with the Lord’s Prayer concluding the offices. Sometimes these prayers take the form of one line prayers (suffrages) with each line said alternately by clergy and congregation. These pray for the church, the world, the nation, and for Gospel as it changes the World and its people. The collect (the short prayer that either gathered or summarized a devotion.) is also said. Like all prayers it ends with, Amen. And the day comes to a peaceful end.

Evening prayer has almost disappeared from most churches but we hope that we can reintroduce it to reinforce the community of All Saints.