Scripture for Today, 3-2-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #9 [final]: Thomas Cranmer, 1556 AD

In 1539, Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, hired Myles Coverdale at the bequest of King Henry VIII to publish the "Great Bible" Authorized 1611 version.   ​

Thomas Cranmer was largely responsible for the creation of the Protestant Church in England. 
 
Three men were tried as the Oxford Martyrs were tried for heresy in 1555 for their religious beliefs denying the pope's teachings, during the Marian persecution of protestants in England. The three martyrs were the Anglican bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. They were tried at University Church of St Mary the Virgin, the official church of the University of Oxford. The men were imprisoned at the former Bocardo Prison near the extant St Michael at the Northgate church. The door of their cell is on display in the tower of the church. The men were burnt at the stake just outside the city walls to the north, where Broad Street is now located. Latimer and Ridley were burnt on 16 October 1555. Cranmer was burnt five months later.

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In March 1556 AD Cranmer was burned at Oxford, for the confession of Christ's true doctrine and his harsh refusal to honor the pope. He said:

"...when I come to the fire it shall first be burned.
And as for the pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy,
and Antichrist, with all his false doctrine."

As he was bound to the stake with the flames; his eyes were lifted up to heaven, and he using often the words of Stephen:

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 
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[1] Foxe's Book of Martyrs: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm More here:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Martyrs
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​"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus 
shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

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