Reformation 500 WEEK 36 England and Scotland
When Luther died in 1546, Calvin was busy reforming
Geneva, and answering the official Roman Catholic counter reformation in
progress since 1545 at the Council of Trent (northern Italy). This Council lasted
until 1563 (a year before Calvin’s death).
Meanwhile the reformation was spreading in
England and Scotland. “Patrick Hamilton, a student of Martin Luther who was the
first to bring Reformed preaching to Scotland, was burned at the stake for his
faith in 1529” (DeMar, Reformation to Colonization, 229). Later, some
young men from Scotland, after visiting Luther’s university at Wittenberg,
returned to their native country to spread Luther’s doctrines. “The transition
from Lutheranism to Calvinism took place under George Wishart” (Kuiper, Church
in History, 216). A priest by the name of John Knox served as Wishart’s
bodyguard. But “Wishart wouldn't let Knox come with him to his trial and
execution” (reformationhistory.org). Wishart was hanged and burnt at the stake in
1546.
“Wishart’s other followers, retaliated by
murdering Cardinal Beaton, Scotland’s supreme Catholic official. For nearly a
year those espousing Reformed principles made some headway in Scotland from
their base at the castle at St. Andrews. With the help of French forces,
Catholics regained the upper hand, taking the castle and sending its Protestant
inhabitants, John Knox among them, to the galley ships as prisoners” (Nichols, Reformation,
96). For nineteen months, Knox “toiled as a galley-slave. Day after day he had
to ply the oars in the hot, smelly hold of a French ship,” constantly “pestered
with suggestions that he should pray to the image of Mary” (Kuiper, 216). After
his release in 1549, “Knox went to England where he preached and eventually
became chaplain to Edward VI” (DeMar, 230).
Also in 1549, Calvin’s wife, Idelette,
died. “Calvin was devastated. Writing to his friend and fellow Reformer Pierre
Viret, he declared his grief: ‘I have been bereaved of the best companion of my
life.’ To Farel he stated, ‘I do what I can to keep myself from being
overwhelmed by grief’.” (Nichols, 119).
When King Henry VIII died in 1547, his
nine-year old and sickly son Edward VI (by his third wife Jane Seymour) came to
the throne. At his coronation, Archbishop “Cranmer referred to him as the
second Josiah, as a king who would restore England to the true faith” (DeMar,
226). Calvin dedicated several of his commentaries to Edward
and wrote several letters to him. “Under Edward’s leadership, a number of
important changes took place: religious services were conducted in English, the
Catholic Mass was abolished [images were also removed], clergy were permitted
to marry, and English Bibles were freely printed” (DeMar, 226). Distinguished Protestant refugees,
Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, Jan Laski, and John Knox were also helping with
reform efforts. Bucer
worked with Cranmer to improve the Book of Common Prayer (a service book
still used today for use in worship). John Knox helped Cranmer formulate the
Church of England’s official creed, the Forty-Two Articles.
“The Reformation in England seemed to have
complete victory within its grasp.” But “Edward [only 16] died of tuberculosis
in 1553” (Kuiper, 227). The “young king died, praying, ‘My Lord and God, save
this realm from popery, and maintain it in true religion” (DeMar, 226). His Catholic
sister Mary succeeded him to the throne.
NOTE: These Posts were written and designed as bulletin inserts by Pastor David Fagrey of the Grace Reformed Church of Rapid City, SD .
Link to this blog entry as a bulletin insert: Reformation 500 England and Scotland
For a double-sided PDF for easy printing: Reformation 500 Week 36
Link to this blog entry as a bulletin insert: Reformation 500 England and Scotland
For a double-sided PDF for easy printing: Reformation 500 Week 36
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