British Calvinists: Edward Dering (c.1540-1576)

Edward Dering (c.1540-1576) was born in Kent, he was a graduate of Christ's College, Cambridge

He offended Queen Elizabeth when he preached before her, and was consequently banned from preaching. He was a great supporter of Thomas Cartwright, but unlike Cartwright was a non-separating Puritan.

He died from tuberculosis in Essex.

British Calvinists: Laurence Chaderton (1536-1640)

Laurence Chaderton (1536-1640), born in Oldham, was one of the key Puritan tutors at Cambridge. He was friends with Thomas Cartwright and William Perkins. Peter Toon (1973) in Purtians and Calvinsim describes his as the pope of "Cambridge Puritanism" (p 17). He was bought up a Catholic but when converted to Reformed views was disinherited by his father. 

He was appointed the first master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. 

He drew up a special programme designed to provide parishes with clergy who knew their theology. One of his innovations was the "mutual conference". This model was used by the Puritans in their "prophesying" conferences. 

He was one of those those involved in the Hampton Conference translators of the newly commissioned Authorised Version (KJV) of the Bible. 

British Calvinism: Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603)

Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603) was born in Hertfordshire and educated at St John's, Cambridge. He has been called the "father of English Presbyterianism". He became professor of Trinity College. In 1569 he was appointed as The Lady Margart Professor of Divinity.  He was used his position to criticise the Church of England, much to the disgust of John Whitgift, who was the vice chancellor who removed him from post.

Cartwright proclaimed six propositions, which formed the basis of presbyterianism in England: 

   

1. That the names and functions of archbishops and archdeacons ought to be abolished.

2. That the offices of the lawful ministers of the Church, viz., bishops and deacons, ought to be reduced to their apostolical institution: bishops to preach the word of God, and pray, and deacons to be employed in taking care of the poor.

3. That the government of the Church ought not to be entrusted to bishop's chancellors, or the officials of archdeacons; but every church ought to be governed by its own ministers and presbyters.

4. That ministers ought not to be at large, but every one should have the charge of a particular congregation.

5. That no man ought to solicit, or to stand as a candidate for the ministry.

6. That ministers ought not to be created by the sole authority of the bishop, but to be openly and fairly chosen by the people.

Cartwright went to the Continent and visited Theodore Beza, Calvin's successor at Geneva. He returned to England but had to escape to Antwerp in 1574, where he became the pastor to English residents. In 1585 he returned without permission to England and was arrested. His influential friends managed to secure his release. 

It is claimed that he was the first preacher to have practised extempore prayer before preaching.

Some of his writings are available here:

http://www.prdl.org/author_view.php?a_id=195

C. S. Lewis on the Puritans: "bishops, not beer, were their special aversion"

We can hardly help calling them 'Puritanism' and 'humanism', but neither word meant the same as it does in modern America. By purity the Elizabethan Puritan meant not chastity but ‘pure’ theology and, still more, ‘pure’ church discipline. That is, he wanted an all-powerful Presbyterian Church, a church stronger than the state, set up in England, on the model of Calvin’s church at Geneva. Knox in Scotland loudly demanded, and at least one English Puritan hinted, that this should be done by armed revolution. Calvin, the great successful doctrinaire who had actually set up the ‘new order’, was the man who had dazzled them all. We must picture these Puritans as the very opposite of those who bear that name today: as young, fierce, progressive intellectuals, very fashionable and up-to-date. They were not teetotallers; bishops, not beer, were their special aversion. 

C. S. Lewis "On Edmund Spenser". Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Literature.  p. 121.

Kuyper on the Lord's Prayer

In his discussion on spontaneous and liturgical prayers, in Our Worship, Kuyper notes that the issue is not on whether free prayer is to be preferred, but whether it is always possible. He then has this to say on the Lord's Prayer:

"The Lord's Prayer is a liturgical prayer that has been used throughout the world and throughout the centuries. It is a prayer that still unites all Christians. The prayer is arranged symmetrically to facilitate firmer and easier retention.  The plural that is used indicates that it was not primarily to be prayed by one individual alone, but by many in community. And the liturgy of the Reformed churches indicates that it was thought to have been given for our use as well. In fact, its contents are too overwhelming for such a prayer to be used once only. Praying the Lord's prayer for a life time will certainly enrich a person even in old age. We can even say that the Lord's Prayer puts the stamp of the Saviour's approval on liturgical prayer." (p. 34) 

He then goes on to say: "It should be understood, however, that this does not mean that we recoomend all existing liturgical prayers. On the contrary, in many respects the liturgical prayers we find in our liturgy leave much to be desired."  

British Calvinists: William Whittingham (c. 1524-1579)

William Whittingham (c. 1524-1579) was born in Chester and educated at Brasenose College and Christ Church, Oxford. He went to France to help in his language studies. He returned to England in 1553 but his Reformed views meant he had to go into exile when Mary I came to the throne.

He was one of the first to arrive in Frankfurt which became a centre for Marian exiles. He became friends with John Knox there and supported Knox in the dispute over the form of church service. Knox wanted a more Reformed approach, others, such as Richard Cox,  a more Reformed Anglican approach - here can be seen the start of another of the inter-family disputes among the Reformed and perhaps the roots of non-Conformism. Knox had to leave and went to Geneva. Whittingham soon followed Knox to Geneva. In 1575 Whittingham published an account of the dispute: A brieff discours off the troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany, Anno Domini 1554. 

In Geneva Knox became the minister of the English-speaking exiled group there. In 1558 Whitingham was elected elder. In 1559 when Knox left for Scotland Calvin suggested that Whittingham take over as minister.

The Genevan congregation drew up a service format and a form of church discipline that was very similar to Calvin's system, with elected ministers, elders and deacons and the power of ex-communication.

When Elizabeth I came to the throne many of the Genevan exiles returned to England. Whittingham stayed to complete his work on the Geneva Bible. He also worked on metrical Psalms.

In 1560 he left Geneva for England via France. In 1563 he became the dean of Durham. 

Whittingham disliked the "popish apparel" of surplice an cope and originally refused to wear them. Several complaints were made against Whittingham, including one that maintained that he was not properly ordained. 

He died on 10 June 1579, he was buried in Durham Cathedaral. 

Some of his writings are available here: http://www.prdl.org/author_view.php?a_id=1321

British Calvinists: Edmund Grindal (1519-1583)

Edmund Grindal (1519-1583) was the second archbishop of Canterbury appointed by Elizabeth I, the first was Matthew Parker. 

He was born in Whitehaven, Cumbria and was educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. Under Edward I he was prebendary of Westminster, but on Edward's death became one of the Marian exiles in Frankfurt.

On return to England he was made the bishop of London and helped to revise the Book of Common Prayer. He was "promoted" to York in 1570. During this time he ensured that church furniture such as crosses, candlesticks and altar stones were removed and replaced by a simple communion table. In 1575 became archbishop of Canterbury. 

During his time at Canterbury he became embroiled in a debate over the "Puritan prophesyings". These were meetings in which clergy prayed and discussed the Scriptures. These prophesyings originated in Northampton. It seems that on Saturdays from 9 to 11 am a number of ministers would gather to expound the same scriptures one after the other and then discuss how they handled the text. The first minster was not to exceed three-quarters of an hour (see Geoffrey Nuttall The Holy Spirit in Puritan Faith and Experience. University of Chicago Press, 1992).

Grindal refused Elizabeth I's order to silence them and so was suspended from his bishopric. Grindal felt that the prophesyings were helping to stem the tide of catholicism. In 1582 he was later reinstated but by then his health was deteriorating and he died in July 1583.

Grindal was replaced as archbishop by John Whitgift, who was no friend of Puritans. 

Some of Grindal's works are available here: http://www.prdl.org/author_view.php?a_id=318

Further reading

Patrick Collinson 1979. Archbishop Grindal 1519–1583: The Struggle for a Reformed Church. University of California.

John Strype 1710, Life and Acts of Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury. Available here. 

Music for a Sunday morning: Colin Vallon Trio