Essay Sample on Bishop Nicholas Ridley: A Reformation Hero & His Impact on the Church Today

Introduction

This essay seeks to explore the life of Bishop Nicholas Ridley, how it influenced the Church's English Reformation, and how this history relates to the Church and us today. Nicholas Ridley was born in 1502 in Willimonswick into a Northumberland gentry's family whose members were prominent in the life of the Church, both before and during the Reformation. Nicholas's father was Christopher Ridley of Unthank Hall, his mother Anne Blenkinsop. Cuthbert Tunstall, bishop of London (1522-1530) and later bishop of Durham (1530-1552 and 1553-1559) was a relative. Much of Nicholas Ridley's early life and career was shaped at Cambridge University and by his uncle, his father's brother, Robert Ridley who was a professor at Cambridge and held a clerical office as St Paul's Cathedral. Robert as prebend in St Paul's made a strenuous effort to fight heresy and encouraged the setting up of the University's first printing press. As the prototypical English humanist, Robert Ridley was schooled in classical and biblical studies blended with medieval scholasticism. Besides, depraying Nicholas's expenses while at school, his uncle Robert loomed large in his nephew's life.

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After attending school at Newcastle upon Tyne in 1518 in his middle to late teens, Nicholas joined Pembroke College, which he found to be "studious, well-learned, and a great setter of Christ's gospel" (Portrait of Nicholas Ridley, para. 3). Blossoming at Pembroke, he learned the greater part of Paul's epistles by heart as well as much of the New Testament. Besides, he earned a fellowship at Pembroke in 1524, a chaplaincy in 1531, became a professor of Greek in 1535, a master in 1540, the most years earning a Doctors of Theology degree. Nicholas further studied in Paris and at Lorain. Because of his many talents and splendid connections, Ridley began to command more exalted outside attention. In 1537, Archbishop Cranmer from Cambridge called him to be one of his chaplains and gave him his first cure in the parish of Herne on April 30, 1538. As with Thomas Cranmer and Hugh Latimer, Ridley's re-evaluation of Christian doctrine proceeded gradually. The reformers stressed the great Pauline "aspiration of preaching Christ" (Portrait of Nicholas Ridley, para. 4), and they endeavored to spread God's word through the printing press sermons, and hopefully bring spiritual renewal to society.

The distracting practices of the Roman Church needed identification, re-evaluation, and removal according to self-referencing interpretations of scripture. All doctrines had to be judged according to the word of God. That meant much of the po-called wisdom of the Roman Church including the procurements, had to be re-examined and where necessary, cast aside. At this early stage, Ridley's views concerning the Eucharist were conventional by his admission through his sermons at Herne were strongly evangelical for some time. At his cure, he encouraged the singing of the Te Deum in English, not Latin (Packer, 1993). When he preached, he spread Christ's gospel and not some popish superstitions. Certainly, his evangelical preaching inspired confidence, zeal, and faith among his listeners and he continued in this rein as opportunity and circumstances allowed in the face of theological opponents and political enemies, and Henry's completing conservations.

In 1533, Thomas Cranmer became archbishop of Canterbury. In 1536, Henry ordered Cranmer to formulate articles of religion in the English Church. Cranmer then organized a council to draw up these articles. Nicholas Ridley, Senior Proctor at Cambridge was one of the invitees (Cranmer, p.84). Ridley recently had persuaded the University to argue that "the Bishops of Rome had no more jurisdiction devised to him from God, in the Kingdom of England than any other foreign bishop" (Weatherall, 1988 p.84). The senior proctor had gotten the attention of the archbishops of Canterbury. Cranmer founded a preaching academy at Canterbury Cathedral and Nicholas Ridley was one of its preachers. Ridley proved a valuable ally to Cranmer and helped the archbishops with gradual reforms. Accordingly, Nicholas preached that auricular confession was a godly means to bring the sinner to the priest for counsel, even though he could not find its rationale in scripture (Portrait of Nicholas Ridley, 7). Interestingly, he preceded Cranmer in the belief that the Eucharist represented the spiritual manifestation of Christ. However, Ridley did favor gradual reform. Henry died in January of 1547. Edward accessed the throne and ushered in a new age favorable to the reformers. Nicholas Ridley was elected bishop of Rochester, his first episcopal see and was consecrated on September 25, 1547.

Bishop Ridley continued to preach evangelical principles, which differentiated the Church of England not only from the Roman Church but also from the radical Anabaptist elements. Ridley received more affirmation to move beyond the realist view of the Eucharist in November of 1547. Martin Bucer provided evidence, previously unknown, from a manuscript of John Chrysostom's epistles showing that the saint held that the bread remained after consecration. This new evidence seemed to confirm Ridley's readings of Ratramnus. Transubstantiation did not become an article of faith until 1215 at the fourth Lateran Council after all. Heinrich Bullinger was informed in September of 1548 that Cranmer following Ridley's lead had rejected any movement of Luther's thinking and now embraced the doctrine of the spiritual presence. The communion night in the Book of Common Prayer 1549 represented that view.

The year 1550 pairs the elevation of Nicholas Ridley to the episcopal see of London. The new bishop instituted reforms energetically, visiting the diocese, ordering the destruction of altars to turn them from the old superstitious opinions of the popish muses, and their replacement with honest tables that would instill the night use of the Lord's supper (Portrait of Nicholas Ridley, p. 7). By the end of 1550, every church in the city, but one, had a communion table. However, Ridley still supported gradual reforms. When John Hoopes had been elevated to the bishop of Gloucester in July of 1550, he refused to wear the customary episcopal vestment, which he dismissed as too evocative of Roman practices. The controversy pivoted upon the issue of adiaphora of things not subject to standard determination. Hoope's stance proved a previous challenge to Cranmer's authority and an embarrassment to Edward's government. Ridley tried to reason with him, at first in Maine, but ultimately in June of 1551, Hoopes allowed himself to be seen wearing the hated garment. Ridley's vision for the English Church was an inside gradual reformation, but distinct from the international protestant movement.

After King Edward's death and Jane's ascent to the throne, Ridley preached boldly and vigorously in favor of Jane's succession stating that neither Mary nor Elizabeth were eligible for the throne. It might have worked but Mary and her supporters were needy. Edward died on July 6, 1553. Jane was queen for less than a week. Mary seized power, defending her right to the throne, and consequently revived her mother's religion. The reform movement, at least for the time being was over. Ridley and the other reform leaders were arrested and jailed. The Marine authorities tried him in the autumn of 1555. Being convicted of treason, he was executed by burning at the stake on October 16, 1555, while Cranmer, who would suffer the same fate five months later, was forced to watch. Ridley suffered dreadfully on the stake (Ryle, 2014, p. 212). So ended Bishop Nicholas Ridley's life and with him many of the reforms he had labored for. However, what can be drawn from this history and how does it apply to the church today?

If anything can be learned from history, it might demonstrate that strife and disunity over targeted issues serve no one but the adversary. Perhaps a lesson can be learned from two men in history who were on opposite sides of the Reformed-Evangelical debate but who never let these opposite conclusions destroy this friendship on their fellowship. When George Whitefield, an aroused Calvinist died, John Wesley, a staunch Arminian gave the eulogy at his friend's funeral. While Whitefield and Wesley could not meet at the academy of predestination and elections, they were still able to meet at the school of faith and repentance. If ministers in the church today despite their different opinions meet at that point of faith and repentance and present a united Gospel, then perhaps some of the gaps will close, the avarice stop and humans can start to become the human beings God always intended them to be.

References

Packer, J. I. (1993). Concise Theology. Tyndale House

Portrait of Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London (1500-1555). Retrieved from http://www.artwarefineart.com/gallery/portrait-nicholas-ridley-bishop-london-1500-1555

Ryle, J. C. (2014). Five English Reformers. The Banner of Truth Trust

Weatherall, A. (1988). Cranmer: Theologian, Archbishop, Martyr.