Westminster Conference 06 B

The second session of the Westminster Conference 'Where reason fails ...' was given by retired minister and former Anglican Gordon Murray. Thomas Cranmer and the Anglican Enigma took us back to the tumultuous times and the eventful life of the Reformer and Archbishop, and described his slow but sure journey from Romanist to Reformation views. Cranmer has often been accused of timidity and an over zealous loyalty to Henry VIII. Mr Murray defended him from such charges citing his unheeded protests against the beheadings of Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell and his willingness to disagree with the king over doctrine.
Perhaps his commitment to Scripture in the light of reason and traditon is a little enigmatic. His belief that bishops were a good though not essential thing would perplex some. The whole state church idea that goes back to Constantine is an enigma too. No doubt it was the sheer persistence of clever opponents that forced him at one point during his final imprisonment to agree that Nero was once head of the church! However, his changing stance on the Lord's Supper is one every Protestant would understand. His grasp of justification, seen especially in the homilies, is again not enigmatic. Infant baptism in the Common Book of Prayer again is much more so but its reverence, pointed prayers and God-centred worship ought not to be forgotten. Mr Murray's moving account of Cranmer's final days and especially his powerful and unexpected speech before his martyrdom was most moving.
Discussion centred chiefly on the biblical ecumenism of Cranmer and other Reformers, something that had clearly struck Mr Murray. Such discussions are always difficult as we tend to berate ourselves for our lack of such a spirit but some good contributions were made.