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A review by sonofstdavid
Thomas Cranmer by Diarmaid MacCulloch
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.25
The definitive biography of the martyred archbishop for a reason. Not only does it illuminate with moving personal detail the life and thoughts of Cranmer, it also elucidates the entire era of the reformation's complexity, beauty, and paradox.
However I do recommend with caveat. It probably shouldn't have taken me as long as it did to read it, but the incredibly minute detail included did not help. Scarcely a month of his archbishopric went by without MacCulloch telling us exactly what happened. Which is helpful as a research document, less so as a biography.
Nevertheless, I was incredibly impressed by MacCulloch's approach and tone. It neither was hagiographic nor did it demonize the complicated Bishop. Through the incredible detail we as readers get to know the man almost personally as a sincere pastoral theologian who valued compromise as the sure and steady way to reform the Church.
However I do recommend with caveat. It probably shouldn't have taken me as long as it did to read it, but the incredibly minute detail included did not help. Scarcely a month of his archbishopric went by without MacCulloch telling us exactly what happened. Which is helpful as a research document, less so as a biography.
Nevertheless, I was incredibly impressed by MacCulloch's approach and tone. It neither was hagiographic nor did it demonize the complicated Bishop. Through the incredible detail we as readers get to know the man almost personally as a sincere pastoral theologian who valued compromise as the sure and steady way to reform the Church.