Anglican Teaching: Introduction

The Ten Articles remained effective until 1543. Meanwhile, a practical handbook of instruction, based on the Ten Articles, appeared in 1537 as The Institution of a Christian Man, commonly called The Bishops’ Book.^[1] It was the work of a committee under Archbishop Cranmer, and was issued with the authority of the Bishops, though it never gained the King’s authority because of its poor theology and literary style. In 1543 a revised edition, based on the King’s criticisms, was produced under the title The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian Man, commonly called The King's Book.^[2] It was more anti‑Protestant, and reflected the reaction then developing against further reform.

In 1538, the King had invited three Lutheran Divines over to consult with Archbishop Cranmer and two other Bishops on matters of faith. The Confession of Augsburg was used as a basis for discussion. Henry, however, would not agree to Communion in Both Kinds,^[3] Clerical Marriage, or the condemnation of propitiatory Masses, and the conference broke down, but not before The Thirteen Articles were compiled.^[4] They were not published then, but were later found amongst Cranmer's papers, and are important because they form a link between the Augsburg Confession and our present Articles.^[5]

When the Pope excommunicated Henry in 1538, the King reacted in proclaiming his orthodoxy by applying ‘The Whip with the Six Strings’ (The Six Articles of 1539), which was incorporated in an Act of Parliament popularly called ‘The Bloody Statute of the Six Articles’. The Act compelled the acceptance of Transubstantiation (though the actual word is avoided), Clerical Celibacy, Communion in One Kind, the obligation of Vows of Chastity, the use of Private Masses, and Auricular Confession. Thenceforth no further move towards the reformation of the doctrine of the Church was possible while Henry VIII lived.

On the accession of Edward VI in 1547, Cranmer and his colleagues were able to continue the work of reformation. First came the revised Prayer Books of 1549 and 1552. Although no new Articles were officially authorized for some years, there is evidence that as early as 1549 Cranmer required preachers and lecturers in Divinity to assent to certain Articles of Religion. In the same year, a committee under his chairmanship drew up a scheme for the Reform of Church Law (Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum) which, though it was not published by authority, accords very closely with the language of some of our present Articles.

In 1551, Cranmer was directed to prepare a Book of Articles, which he showed to some of the Bishops. But it was May 1552 before the Council asked Convocation for them. They originally numbered 45, but after revision by the Royal Chaplain, were reduced to 42, and published, by Royal command, in Latin and English, in 1553 as The Forty‑Two Articles. They were mainly the work of Cranmer, who in compiling them made use of the Thirteen Articles of 1538, and the Confession of Augsburg.^[6]

^[1]The Creed, Seven Sacraments, Ten Commandments, Ave Maria, Lord’s Prayer, Justification and Purgatory were explained. Baptism, Eucharist, and Penance were placed higher than other Sacraments.

^[2]Transubstantiation, Clerical celibacy, and implied equality of all Seven Sacraments were its chief characteristics.

^[3]Cf. Article XXX.

^[4]The Thirteen Articles were derived largely from Seventeen Articles drawn up by Luther and Melanchthon in 1536 and handed to the English Ambassadors, Fox and Heath. Some of the Thirteen Articles were word for word the same as their German counterparts in the Seventeen Articles.

^[5]Cf. Article XXIII.

^[6]He apparently did not use the Confession of Augsburg direct, but through the Thirteen Articles, especially on Articles I, II, IV, IX, XIV, XVI, XXIII, XXIV, XXV.


	Introduction
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Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	The Ten Articles remained effective until 1543. Meanwhile, a practical handbook of instruction, based on the Ten Articles, appeared in 1537 as The Institution of a Christian Man, commonly called The Bishops’ Book.^[1] It was the work of a committee under Archbishop Cranmer, and was issued with the authority of the Bishops, though it never gained the King’s authority because of its poor theology and literary style. In 1543 a revised edition, based on the King’s criticisms, was produced under the title The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian Man, commonly called The King's Book.^[2] It was more anti‑Protestant, and reflected the reaction then developing against further reform. In 1538, the King had invited three Lutheran Divines over to consult with Archbishop Cranmer and two other Bishops on matters of faith. The Confession of Augsburg was used as a basis for discussion. Henry, however, would not agree to Communion in Both Kinds,^[3] Clerical Marriage, or the condemnation of propitiatory Masses, and the conference broke down, but not before The Thirteen Articles were compiled.^[4] They were not published then, but were later found amongst Cranmer's papers, and are important because they form a link between the Augsburg Confession and our present Articles.^[5] When the Pope excommunicated Henry in 1538, the King reacted in proclaiming his orthodoxy by applying ‘The Whip with the Six Strings’ (The Six Articles of 1539), which was incorporated in an Act of Parliament popularly called ‘The Bloody Statute of the Six Articles’. The Act compelled the acceptance of Transubstantiation (though the actual word is avoided), Clerical Celibacy, Communion in One Kind, the obligation of Vows of Chastity, the use of Private Masses, and Auricular Confession. Thenceforth no further move towards the reformation of the doctrine of the Church was possible while Henry VIII lived. On the accession of Edward VI in 1547, Cranmer and his colleagues were able to continue the work of reformation. First came the revised Prayer Books of 1549 and 1552. Although no new Articles were officially authorized for some years, there is evidence that as early as 1549 Cranmer required preachers and lecturers in Divinity to assent to certain Articles of Religion. In the same year, a committee under his chairmanship drew up a scheme for the Reform of Church Law (Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum) which, though it was not published by authority, accords very closely with the language of some of our present Articles. In 1551, Cranmer was directed to prepare a Book of Articles, which he showed to some of the Bishops. But it was May 1552 before the Council asked Convocation for them. They originally numbered 45, but after revision by the Royal Chaplain, were reduced to 42, and published, by Royal command, in Latin and English, in 1553 as The Forty‑Two Articles. They were mainly the work of Cranmer, who in compiling them made use of the Thirteen Articles of 1538, and the Confession of Augsburg.^[6] ^[1]The Creed, Seven Sacraments, Ten Commandments, Ave Maria, Lord’s Prayer, Justification and Purgatory were explained. Baptism, Eucharist, and Penance were placed higher than other Sacraments. ^[2]Transubstantiation, Clerical celibacy, and implied equality of all Seven Sacraments were its chief characteristics. ^[3]Cf. Article XXX. ^[4]The Thirteen Articles were derived largely from Seventeen Articles drawn up by Luther and Melanchthon in 1536 and handed to the English Ambassadors, Fox and Heath. Some of the Thirteen Articles were word for word the same as their German counterparts in the Seventeen Articles. ^[5]Cf. Article XXIII. ^[6]He apparently did not use the Confession of Augsburg direct, but through the Thirteen Articles, especially on Articles I, II, IV, IX, XIV, XVI, XXIII, XXIV, XXV.
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