# Question about some English reformers



## cih1355 (Aug 14, 2008)

Where did the English reformers such as John Hooper, Nicholas Ridley, Rowland Taylor, and Hugh Latimer stand on the five points of Calvinism? I'm just curious.


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## Christusregnat (Aug 14, 2008)

cih1355 said:


> Where did the English reformers such as John Hooper, Nicholas Ridley, Rowland Taylor, and Hugh Latimer stand on the five points of Calvinism? I'm just curious.



Curt,

It is impossible to say, unless there are explicit and detailed writings on the subject matter of the "5 points" per se.

The problem is that the Synod of Dort, which formulated the 5 points in reaction to the 5 heretical points of the Remonstrants, did not take place until 100 years after Luther's 95 Theses. This means that the historical development and crystalization of such doctrines had yet to take place.

That said, you can read the original text of the 39 Articles:

Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org

Choose the link to the "Thirty-Nine Articles".

Some good stuff on original sin, predestination, substitutionary atonement; however, Anglicans have always preferred fuzzy language, and so you will find it difficult to discern exactly what they're trying to say at times.

Cheers,

Adam


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## Stomata leontôn (Aug 14, 2008)

More explicit explanations of the Reformed doctrines of the Church of England, from 1547 & 1571, can be found here: Anglican Homilies. The 39 Articles require them to be read and where the Articles are brief formulae, these tend toward extensive treatises; no fuzzy language here. Many of the Reformers you name contributed to the Homilies, sou can read exactly what they believe there. For example, it is believed Ridley helped Cranmer edit a number in the first book, Latimer wrote the first Homily of Book I (certainly one of the best Homilies), and Hooper contributed.


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## Christusregnat (Aug 14, 2008)

Peter H said:


> More explicit explanations of the Reformed doctrines of the Church of England, from 1547 & 1571, can be found here: Anglican Homilies. The 39 Articles require them to be read and where the Articles are brief formulae, these tend toward extensive treatises; no fuzzy language here.



Peter,

Indeed, the Articles tell the ministers to read these homilies to their parishioners, but they also are non-confessional in that:

1. They are a substitutes, or, at best, a supplement to sound exposition of Scripture,

2. They do not all treat of confessional topics (consider the homily on cleaning the church; though interesting, hardly confessional)

But even in this, they are intended for an uneducated ministry, and are not a thorough or systematic statement of the Christian religion. This is why the Puritans eventually scrapped the revision of the 39 Articles, and worked on the Westminster Standards.

Cheers,

Adam


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