Description
Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) was once the primary Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, the writer of the Book of Not unusual Prayer, and a central figure within the English Protestant Reformation. Few theologians have led such an eventful life: Cranmer helped Henry VIII break with the pope, pressed his vision of the Reformation during the reign of Edward VI, was once forced to recant under Queen Mary, after which dramatically withdrew his recantations before being burned alive.
This energetic biography by Leslie Williams narrates Cranmer’s life from the start, through his education and history with the monarchy, to his ecclesiastical trials and eventual martyrdom. Williams portrays Cranmer’s ongoing struggle to reconcile his two central loyalties—allegiance to the crown and fidelity to the Reformation faith—as she tells his fascinating life story.