The Round of the Saintly Sixteen continues with a match-up between two heavyweights from the British Isles. Thomas Cranmer and Columba — the “Killer C’s” — face off against one another for a trip to the Elate Eight. Only one will advance to the next round in this the fourth of eight battles comprising the current round while the other will be left to “gather up the crumbs under thy table.”
Yesterday, in a battle that ostensibly took place on the vast plains in the middle of the United States, but really happened on your respective electronic devices, Enmegahbowh knocked out David Pendleton Oakerhater 54% to 46%. He joins Mary Magdalene and Jerome among those who have earned a spot in the Elate Eight. Check the updated bracket to see the big picture of Lent Madness (metaphorically speaking — there’s not actually a mural depicting Scott and Tim).
Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), architect of the English Reformation, was eventually arrested and tried for heresy. Weakened, broken, and sentenced to be burned at the stake, Cranmer recanted his Protestant beliefs. However, from the pulpit of the University Church in Oxford, he dramatically reversed himself and testified to those beliefs on the day of his execution, March 21, 1556.
Before Cranmer’s last sermon, there was a different sermon by Henry Cole. It was Cole’s unenviable task to explain to the crowd why someone arrested for heresy, who subsequently repented, should still be burned at the stake. Diarmaid MacCullouch’s award-winning biography of Cranmer describes this as “a problem in canon law which Cole had little choice but to acknowledge openly.”
The awkwardness was resolved when Cranmer recanted his earlier recantations. After the fire that would take his life was lit, Cranmer stretched out his right hand into it. This fulfilled a promise that he had made in the church: “forasmuch as my hand offended, writing contrary to my heart, my hand shall first be punished there-for.” At the stake, he repeated the last words of the first martyr, Stephen: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit . . . I see the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
It’s the language of common prayer, however, for which Cranmer will always be most remembered. This general confession from 1552 is based on Romans 7:8-25 and includes allusions to Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 119:176; I Peter 2:25; Psalm 51:13; Romans 15:8; I John 2:12; Titus 2:11-12; and John 14:13:
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways, like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us: but thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that be penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Dear Columba (521-597) may be adored by Christians for founding monasteries in Derry and Durrow in Ireland – and, of course, in iconic Iona in Scotland – but he is also beloved by those of another faith tradition for his little known work in the Scottish highlands.
In 563 Columba traveled to Iona with 12 companions to set up home base for the conversion of the native Picts and Scots. During his 32 years there, serving as abbot and preaching the Christian faith to the locals (including baptizing the kings of both the Picts and Scots), he traveled widely, making a famous trip to Loch Ness.
Legend says Columba came across a group of Picts burying one of their friends. The saint was told the man had been killed by none other than the Loch Ness monster.
Soon after, another Pict decided to brave those very waters and, in Columba’s presence, became endangered when the monster made yet another eerie appearance. Columba, staff in hand, hastily made the sign of the cross as he commanded the monster, “Thou shalt go no further, nor touch the man; go back with all speed.” At this point, the monster fled, terrified – leaving the assembled Picts amazed. In fact, all who gathered there immediately glorified Columba’s God.
This account, according to many of the Nessie faithful is regarded as the very first appearance in history of the famed monster. The sightings, of course, would continue to be recorded through the ages by such unbiased observers as local hotel and restaurant owners and other members of the Loch Ness Chamber of Commerce.
Vote!
Thomas Cranmer vs. Columba
- Thomas Cranmer (60%, 961 Votes)
- Columba (41%, 656 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,615
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Sweet Columba, Colum Cille, you are our favorite, inspiration of young Princeton Seminary converts. Vote Columba!
Cranmer all the way. We still say this every Sunday: “…We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done…” or words to that effect. He was responsible for some of my most loved bits of the BCP.
Then again, anyone who has NOT left undone anything that ought to have been done, nor DONE anything that ought not to have been done . . . please feel free to vote for Columba without the slightest fear of being cast into the darkness for all of eternity 😉
Or just vote for Columba because this is Lent Madness and we had a completely unexpected (by this seminarian) cameo by “Ol’ Nessie!”
With great love of for my good friend Columba, I cheerfully vote for Thomas Cranmer.
Boo.
I love Cranmer, no doubt; his was an incredible contribution. But this one came down to evangelization in Ireland and Scotland, so: Go Columba! ~ and yes, I’m a wee bit Irish. 🙂
Thomas Cranmer has my vote today; his words still find new believers
in our days. He shines across the years as a man of faith leading us to a
new belief in a God of love.
Anticipating events later in the week,
I have it on good authority (and let’s just say it was a long distance call)
Pastor Bonhoeffer has offered to accompany Brigid at the piano.
Herself, a very neat Slip Jig to victory.
I fear this competition is going to cost me a couple pints. I’ll settle up by Low Sunday, Bob.
I’m still grieving the loss of a fellow Human Being and Deacon David Oakerhater (maybe , so with all respect to Princton Seminary alumni, I have to go with a better story than the Loch Ness monster – it would be a thing which we ought not ot have done. Thomas gets my vote.
I wish I could vote for both,but it will be Columba that gets my vote.
Why do you have to make it so hard to choose?
Come on! Burned at the stake vs. chasing away the famous Nessie! Go Columba 🙂
Cranmer – because in the end, he did the right thing. Means there’s hope for me!
For my beloved BCP, Cranmer all the way! He wrote the most common wedding vows still used today–and not just by Anglicans/Episcopalians–he has transcended into the secular world too.
GO CRANMER GO!!
Much as I love Columba and look forward to going to Iona later this year, I have to go with Cranmer. Why have you left out his other words from the stake when he turned to Bishop Nicholas Ridley,also being burned for heresy and said “Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as (I trust) shall never be put out” or are you saving it for the next round? What a guy!
Is it possible that the Supremes may be an itsy bitsy biased????
Loved the Nessie story but it seems that Canmer inspired several other saints to become saints with his words in our Prayer Book so he gets my vote.
As much as I love the music of Iona, and in spite of my aforestated Celtic affinity (when I voted for Columba in Round 1), BCP trumps Nessie. Sure, Thomas Cranmer had his faults, but, . . . . what Lauren and Barbara said!
Cranmer had me at “miserable offenders” (I still want to say it when that confession shows up in Evensong!), and I think Neil’s is the better writeup by far (come on, Chris, do better than Nessie when you get another chance to advocate), but The Dove of the Church is my guy. Awful choice to make!
The heart outtrumps intellect here. I mean come one, we’ve got a story with Nessie! Besides, I’m Irish/Scots. Columba has my vote, although my head is not convinced that Cranmer shouldn’t have gotten it.
I pray the confession daily. There is such beauty and comfort in it. Certainly the author of the BoCP gets this one. Brave martyr. Vote Cranmer (the last Thomas standing).
To me its no contest between the beauty & endurance of Cramner’s words in the BCP and indeed the whole concept of a book of common prayer either because of or in spite of his flaws as a human being vs. the allure that comes with myth and legend.
Cranmer, Cranmer
He’s our man
Vote for him
As quick as you can
Besides Columba made all the women leave Iona while his monks were there.
Seriously?? ….growl….rooting for the loch monster, now…!
A tough one. Really tough.
It was Latimer who said “Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as (I trust) shall never be put out”…..
To write the General Confession and then die for the Faith? Cranmer all the way !!!!!
(But, I vote for Cranmer this round anyway, in a respectful nod to his Book of Common Prayer….)
Columba, Columba, Columba all the way! I do regret, however, that he chased away Nessie; I would have liked to see him.
Cranmer, Cranmer, he’s our man, But what he can’t, COLUMBA CAN! Rock the Vote for the Irish and Scots who have bravely resisted Anglish monarchs long before Cranmer felt the heat!
Cranmer was martyred on the March 21, the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), another candidate for sainthood.
Glad to see it’s not a deadloch.
No, Cranmer’s appeal makes such worries un-Nessie-sary.
I stand corrected,buty vote still goes to Cranmer and The Book of Common Prayer. Perhaps Later next year?
……things done and left undone……..
Cranmer has my vote!
A classic Sophie’s Choice, as both are dear to my heart. But in the end it must be Thomas, as the BCP is always there for me.
Given that I have passed the Martyrs’ Memorial in Oxford countless times and love the BCP with a passion, it has to be Cranmer, despite the eternal appeal of Columba and Iona.
My thoughts exactly….
Another tough choice. Like yesterday, I’m just voting for the one with fewer votes.
I was wrong to question the structure of Lent Madness. I have sinned in thought and word. By squandering my time doing word counts of all the write-ups, I have probably sinned by deed as well. The verdict: Ten write-ups with the longer word count have been winners. Nine write-ups with the shorter word count have been winners. I can’t imagine anything fairer than that. I vote for Cranmer who never leaves me without the right words at the right time.
I wonder about such things too. The voting gets pretty whimsical at times but it’s still good to know someone out there is keeping an eye on process.
I had the unsettling thought Sunday night that there was no real vote tally, and that SEC was simply plugging in made-up final numbers to ease us into their predetermined bracket choices. Apparently LMW has a “paranoia” component…
How comfortable to sit in our pews and hear the word being preached to us as we then go about our merry way the rest of the week with little thought to the players and historical meaning of scripture. Cramner saw the life giving properties of living out the true meaning of scripture and the establishment dispised him for it!
This is truly a tough decision. I am grateful to Cranmer for the prayer book and the familiar words. I also like the story of his weakness, recantation and then recanting the recant–so human. I’m sure I wouldn’t stand up very well to torture. However, I have to go with Columba. Iona is a sacred “thin place” and I hope to return there someday.
This is the first real struggle I have had with a vote, but the BCP is who I am. Cramner has my vote.
I believe I have been influenced at least once by the authors of the write-ups for these saints. The liveliness of the texts made my decisions easier at least twice. These are hard contests, and I REALLY, REALLY wanted to vote for Columba. However, I’m with those who treasure the BCP. My current church rarely uses the old confession, but I still use it on occasion in my daily devotions. AND, with all the scripture references, there’s a Lenten Study within the Lent Madness Lenten study. Woo hoo. I vote Thomas.
Rah rah rah THOMAS! (Can you tell I’m a hardcore Thomas Cranmer fan?) And I always wondered? Would Cranmer pompoms be purple and red, for the liturgical season and martyrdom? *G*
I voted for Cranmer to implore his intercession the next Rome undertakes to translate the Roman Missal into English.
I’m always pleased when there is a matchup where both are worthy winners. I can rest easy until tomorrow.
Anyone who has been to Iona can testify that it is a most unusual place, one where the Holy Spirit is present in many demonstrable ways. The little piece on Columba seems a little dismissive ignoring his efforts in evengelizing the Scots and the dangers imminent in invasion. I must vote for Cranmer because of the enormous impact he had on all of us but letsnot treat Columba with less respect.
Without Thomas we would not be who we are today. We can go into almost any church in the Anglican Communion and feel right at home.
I have to go with Cranmer. The choices seem to be getting tougher, but TC speaks to my heart. His instrumental role in developing a BCP that variations of are still being used today to bring many together with its beautiful language that incorporates and reflects the Bible and a deep reverence for God. Coming back to the Episcopal faith as an adult, the prayer book–the work started by Cranmer–was foundational to my finding a deeper relationship with God.
Hmm. Sounds like even Chris Yaw would like to see the saint advanced who was part of a movement willing to sacrifice greatly to come to truth, rather than bend it to make a buck. Being co-opted by later commercial interests wasn’t Columba’s fault, of course, but it’s going to be Cranmer and his costly and difficult struggle for me today.
(In considering the Risking All for Christ Factor I asked myself what would be an easier ministry – standing between Catholic and Protestant elements in the church and trying to hold them together, or getting between a hungry displaced crocodile and its next victim? Both saints ultimately demonstrated great courage but it says something that confronting ravening monster turned out to be the less dangerous option.)
“Sounds like even Chris Yaw would like to see the saint advanced who was part of a movement willing to sacrifice greatly to come to truth, rather than bend it to make a buck.”
^^ Out of curiosity, what do you mean by that?
I come at this from the perspective of a Nessie skeptic. Tying your saint to a monster tradition that (as Chris alludes to in his final paragraph) evolved into frank hucksterism doesn’t seem like putting your best foot forward to me, if the Golden Halo has anything to do with Ultimate Truth.
Oh. I read it as a personal dig on Rev. Yaw, which I found a little out of place here. Thanks for clarifying.
From Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, concerning Columba (Book III, ch. 4; A.M. Sellar translation):
“In the year of our Lord 565, when Justin, the younger, the successor of Justinian, obtained the government of the Roman empire, there came into Britain from Ireland a famous priest and abbot, marked as a monk by habit and manner of life, whose name was Columba, to preach the word of God to the provinces of the northern Picts, who are separated from the southern parts belonging to that nation by steep and rugged mountains. For the southern Picts, who dwell on this side of those mountains, had, it is said, long before forsaken the errors of idolatry, and received the true faith by the preaching of Bishop Ninias, a most reverend and holy man of the British nation, who had been regularly instructed at Rome in the faith and mysteries of the truth; whose episcopal see, named after St. Martin the bishop, and famous for a church dedicated to him (wherein Ninias himself and many other saints rest in the body), is now in the possession of the English nation. The place belongs to the province of the Bernicians, and is commonly called the White House, because he there built a church of stone, which was not usual among the Britons.
“Columba came into Britain in the ninth year of the reign of Bridius, who was the son of Meilochon, and the powerful king of the Pictish nation, and he converted that nation to the faith of Christ, by his preaching and example. Wherefore he also received of them the gift of the aforesaid island whereon to found a monastery. It is not a large island, but contains about five families, according to the English computation; his successors hold it to this day; he was also buried therein, having died at the age of seventy-seven, about thirty-two years after he came into Britain to preach. Before he crossed over into Britain, he had built a famous monastery in Ireland, which, from the great number of oaks, is in the Scottish tongue called Dearmach—The Field of Oaks. From both these monasteries, many others had their beginning through his disciples, both in Britain and Ireland; but the island monastery where his body lies, has the pre-eminence among them all.”
For the conversion of my Scottish Gaelic ancestors, it has to be Columba!
I have to go with Cranmer, because he was so human and buckled to pressure — for a while — and then did the right thing after all.
And, as a Catholic, may I say about that burning at the stake thing… we’re terribly sorry… I have to hope we’ve learned our lesson on that one. It’s been quite a while since we did anything like that. Now on to that woman’s ordination issue… My goodness, we have a lot of catching up to do.
Going with the story I hadn’t heard before today–this is the quirky round after all. Besides, I love the image of the monster (mythical or otherwise) being turned back by the saint.
Many saints have done and said things that touched me, inspired me, and challenged me. Cranmer, however, has truly formed me. Go Thomas!!
I love Columba–and his varied ministries. But I have to vote for Cranmer, not because of his godliness, for which I have no information, for one reason: the first Book of Common Prayer. It is an incredible work of theology and classical rhetoric, and we still have much to learn from his work.
Way too much Celtic jingoism in these battles. Cranmer all the way.
The description of Thomas Cranmer being burnt at the stake was a bit too vivid for me. I should have voted for him. I love the BCP and am moved by his faithfulness and courage.
But I cooled the flames with the waters of Loch Ness and the monster being turned away and voted for Columba.
I adore Columba and all that he did for my Celtic forbears, AND I graduated from the Iona School for Ministry…yet this time I must go with Cranmer. We are all so blessed by our BCP, and we are the only Church that has anything like it. It forms my days with Cranmer’s words.
It is Thomas Cranmer for the BCP.
But, we can still enjoy St. Columba.
Bob, this is one of my favorite, favorite hymns! Thank you for posting it!
I vote Columba. The guy was involved in a Nessie sighting! That has to give him some kind of points for awesomeness.
Hope and Skye love the Loch Ness monster story. Go Columba!
With the Loch Ness Monster…. how could we have not voted Columba? There is no surer way to my children’s hearts than a story about Nessie.
That said, they were chanting CO-LUM-BA before I started reading today.
Cranmer—BCP and martydom.
Where were all you BCP devotees when they were perpetrating this latest version (and not even accepting W.H.Auden’s offer to vet the language!)?
Well,Katherine, we are also realy,realy, sorry about the Thomas More and Charles the First thing. There is enough blame to go around.
Cranmer gives beauty in word to the BCP but Columba feeds my Gaelic heart.
This is tough. My love for the BCP vs. My love for my Gaelic roots (though they be few) That said i must go with my beloved BCP.
I love the BCP too, but voting for Cranmer for his book is a vote for your left brain. Vote with your with your creative spirit that Cranmer hoped to unleash by going for the vernacular!!! Vote for Columba!! If Cranmer wins I’ll assume a dearth of right brain imagination abounds.
I’ve been using this really well done Roman Catholic compline app for compline lately after today’s competition I feel like I’m cheating on Cramner, so tonight I’m back to my trusty BCP.
You call that a biography? Was Chris Yaw really Henry Cole in a previous life. He hung Columba out to dry with a bunch of drivel about the Loch Ness Monster – come on! We owe too much to Columba and his church for this kind of cuteness.
Greg, this is the “Quirks and Quotes” Round, so the bloggers are going beyond the biographies, which were presented in the first round, to highlight legends and … well, quirks and quotes! We didn’t want to just present the same thing every round and are assuming that people will either remember or go back and check the original biographies.
Voting for Cranmer & the BCP. Just the right words for the moment. That is, an event of moment. My apologies to Columba who forever has my gratitude for: subdueing the Picts; spreading the gospel of Christ; and writing “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”.
Well obviously it should be Thomas Cranmer – it’s his day in the Calendar today!
You missed the lovely story of Columba and the horse.
The opening of a prayer from the Iona Community of today:
O God, who gave to your servant Columba the gifts of courage, faith and cheerfulness, and sent people out from Iona to carry the word of your gospel to every creature, grant, we pray, a like spirit to your church even at this present time….
Heck. I wanted Columba. I’m tempted to subvert the process, once again and put him up as the winner. On the other hand, I’m the one in my seminary class who rehabilitated Cranmer for allegedly flip-flopping.
I love the story of Columba so I am for him