Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Horton Davies: Worship & Theology in England from Cranmer to Hooker, 1534-1603

Davies, Horton. Worship and Theology in England From Cranmer to Hooker, 1534-1603, Vol. 1.   Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996.

This book is worth the purchase, if but only for the bibliography. The time has come for a close retour, having been through Mr. Davies several times before.  Time for the re-acquaintance with this old friend.

Three large parts: (1) Historical/Theological, (2) the Alternatives, and (3) Liturgical Arts and Aids.

Under Part One, Historical/Theological, Davies evaluates Rome v. Protestants, Anglicans v. Puritans, and the Eucharist.

Under Part Two, the Alternatives, Davies evaluates Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Anglican preaching, Puritan worship, Puritan preaching, and the Separatists.

Under Part Three, the Liturgical Arts and Aids, Davies evaluates architecture, art, music and related pieties.

On pg. xv, Davies offers a helpful definition of worship: “…the corporate offering of thought, emotion and decisions as a response of the Christian churches to the divine saga of Christ and His followers through history.”

Or, it is the “art of adoration” consisting of prayers, preaching, sacraments, architecture, music, devotion and duty.”

Davies notes that Cranmer was “not so great a theologian.” Rather, he was an influential liturgist. This is our preliminary view, that he was not “so great a theologian.” We believe the same can be said for Mr. Parker, the first Canterbury bishop of Elizabeth. As for Mr. Cranmer, it’s a proposition needing to be tested. He is no Calvin, assuredly, insofar as we can see.

The times were “impassioned” with partisans and with successive changes of royal emphases, producing veritable “Vicars of Bray.” The vicars were the time-servers, penshioners, self-servers, and others who swapped principles as royalist regimes changed. Jokes abound, then like now. Some things never change.

From the unscholarly but suggestive Wikipedia, we get this description of the "Vicars of Bray," those theological contortionists in pursuit of preferrments, advancements and perhaps plain old peace:

“The Vicar of Bray is a satirical description of an individual fundamentally changing his principles to remain in ecclesiastical office as external requirements change around him. The religious upheavals in England from 1533 to 1559 and from 1633 to 1715 made it almost impossible for any individual to comply with the successive religious requirements of the state."

"A satirical 18th century song, `The Vicar of Bray,' recounts the career of a vicar of Bray, Berkshire, towards the end of this period and his contortions of principle in order to retain his ecclesiastic office despite the changes through the course of several monarchs from Charles II to George I. A comic opera covers a later period in 18th century history, while a film set in Bray, County Wicklow, in Ireland, covers Charles I, the English Civil War, the Commonwealth of England, The Protectorate, and restoration of Charles II.”

Based on the jokes, useful jokes to abrade and humble Anglican extremists and romanticists, the following lyric is a version of the song recorded by Richard Dyer-Bennet in 1955:

"In good King Charles' golden time, when loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never missed: Kings are by God appointed
And damned are those who dare resist or touch the Lord's annointed!

(Chorus)
And this be law, that I'll maintain until my dying day, sir
That whatsoever king may reign, Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.

"When royal James possessed the crown, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.

"When William was our King declared, to ease the nation's grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke; Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.

"When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base; I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.

"When George in pudding time came o'er, and moderate men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured From our new Faith's Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.

"The illustrious House of Hanover and Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear - while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be - until the times do alter."

The jokes and humor offer serious limits to the parochialism of some Anglican extremists.

But, back to the point. Wide arches and trajectories are offered by Mr. (Dr.) Horton Davies. It is good to get reacquainted with this old friend.

The book itself is worth the purchase…just for the bibliography itself.

The bibliography is an excellent way to make new friends, scholarly ones.

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