Thomas Cranmer – Changing the Old and the New

Cranmer was the middle ground for change between Zwingli and Loyola.  He fought both sides of the reformation; critiquing the heresy of medieval/papal errors and the excesses of the reformation equally.

His greatest contribution was the Book of Common Prayer¸ a compilation of the best worship and prayers that medieval times had to offer.  He wanted to enter the new with the best of the old. 

Almost every significant time of change moves in pendulum fashion.  The new school takes to flagrant extremes in separating themselves from the old; the old school makes bold accusations against the disrespect of the new; and back and forth they go.  When the dust has settled and the pendulum stops swinging, something of a middle ground between the two often results. 

Let’s not mistake change as mere compromise between two camps, however I do think in any environment of change that we would be wise learn and gather the best that is on the table, regardless of which camp put it there.