Recently, I bought a book on king Edward VI of Britain by N. A. Woychuck, entitled "The British Josiah: Edward VI, the Most Godly King of England." While one reason I got it may be obvious ;-), the main reason is that I didn't know of anywhere else I could get a complete biography of this fabulous character of 450 years ago.Edward VI has been more or less one of my heros since I learned of him. He became king in 1547 when he was nine years old, but unfortunately, died just before he turned sixteen (supposedly of tuberculosis; but perhaps by poisoning). He was one of the main movers involved in circulating the Bible to the common people. He is also known as one of the most just and compassionate kings in history!
His father, Henry VIII, had appointed a Privy Council to help Edward govern. Most of the book is in relation to this body, addressing the almost-continuous power struggles between its members. Dealing with the power struggles was perhaps Edward's greatest challenge.
Much of the book also describes Edward's education and family relations. He had two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, both of whom would become queens. One was very bad, the other very good, respectively.
Edward loved to write, and what is even more worth the while than the main book is a short booklet written by Edward himself, included as an appendix. This article is absolutely outstanding! It is entitled Against the Primacy of the Pope, and was intended to be distributed through England. Apparently, the public was rather adverse to the idea of the Reformation, even though Edward was extremely popular as a personality. Thus, Edward realized the only way to bring them to fully reject the Catholic persausion was to produce a thought-out, understandable booklet with his name physically attached. He completed this work when he was twelve. However, it was not published until shortly before his death, after which the infamous Bloody Mary came to the monarchy and restored Catholicism.
Edward's booklet is full of common sense and truth. It sounds to me like Ron Paul with a regal twist. In it, he addresses such subjects as, "Is Rome the Mother of All Churches?," "Contrast Between Jesus and Pope," and "Can a Lawful Council be Called by a Pope Seeking Election?," which shows the logical fallacy of stating that the Pope is superior to other bishops by the decree of a Council. Here is a passage from it:
"But to the matter in hand. I will ask, whether a lawful council can be called but by the pope? To which, I am sure, the papists will answer negatively. Then I ask, if the pope can call a Council before his election? To which I know they will reply, he cannot. If then no council is lawful without a pope, and that none who is laboring to be elected pope can assemble a council, then the council which confirms the pope as superior over the church, is not lawful, because it was not convocated by a pope, there being none elected."
Edward's escatological position is predictably Historicist. For example, he states near the end of the work he believes that the two eyes of the "little horn" of Daniel represent "the pope and Mahomet." His interpretation is unique in that he recognized that the Papal and Islamic systems, even though they often disagree, are of the same essential substance and origination.
Edward's greatest acheivements in England were to create schools and hospitals for the poor, to end officially-sanctioned idol worship, Mass, and other Catholic rituals, to reform the monetary system and end silver debasement (inflation), and to work to end the practice of executing religious "heretics," whether Protestant or Catholic. This last effort was almost unheard of in Europe at the time. Edward was a true champion of Biblical supremacy.
I am definitely grateful that God has raised up such people as king Edward VI in history to inspire us. Let us pray that we will be more like them, and continue to fulfill their vision and legacy! Let us also, like Edward, remember to consistently cry to God: "O Lord, save Thy people!"
-R. Josiah Magnuson
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Your readers might be interested in a special edition of the Lutheran Confessions, as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580. It is filled with period art, helpful notes, charts, introductions, etc.
The early English reformers were heavily influenced by Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation.
http://www.cph.org/concordia
Like young Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey has been one of my favorite heroines.
She was born the grandniece to Henry VIII 1537 and was the daughter of Protestant parents. Jane was provided a classical education, and applied herself studiously- even becoming fluent in French and Italian. She not only proved herself an assiduous student in the arts, but also of God’s Word. Being only around sixteen, she was well-versed in the Scriptures and its original Hebrew and Greek. Through her Bible study, she saw plainly the fallacies of the Roman church. She placed her faith in Christ alone and took a stand for the Truth-- even unto her cruel death.
Had Edward VI lived, she would have likely been his queen. But as Edward lay in bed deathly ill, his regents and he declared Lady Jane the successor to keep Britain in Protestant rule (although Edward’s Catholic half-sister Mary was the lawful heir).
When the Council learned that Jane was to be queen, they were outraged. They mobbed the English together and demanded that Mary Tudor be the heir. Jane had no other option than to yield. After that, she was sequestered to a tower where she was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. Although Mary promised her release if she recanted her Protestant beliefs and followed Catholicism, faithful Jane would not. Not many days later, her executioners led her to the block. With dignity, she ascended the scaffold and
(as recorded in the Chronicle of Queen Jane and of Two Years of Queen Mary):
“And then, kneeling down, she turned to Feckenham [the dean of St Paul's] saying, 'Shall I say this psalm?' And he said, 'Yea.' Then she said the psalm of Miserere mei Deus [Ps.51], in English, in most devout manner, to the end.”
Then, like her Savior and like the devout martyr Stephen, young Lady Jane cried, “Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit!” and was beheaded.
Her life too, provides us an example to follow. Throughout the few sixteen years she lived, she aimed to base her Protestant beliefs on the Scriptures alone, despite radical opposition from her Catholic relatives. Those who knew her remembered her as gentle, kind, loving, and meek. Because of her Christ-like testimony, many began to discard Catholicism and search for the Truth.
May we, like Jane, be faithful to the end and take every opportunity to share the Truth of the Gospel.
From Rahab
Cicero:
A room without books is like a body without a soul.
Francis Bacon:
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed on and digested.
Henry G. Strauss:
I have every sympathy with the American who was so horrified by what he had read about the effects of smoking that he gave up reading.
Thanks for the thougths here. So you have found N.A. Woychuck Josiah! Where-ever? And how wonderful! He was a very great modern who has gone on to be with his Lord. Anything he has written which you can get, buy! Read. Dwell upon.
He started up numerous Miracle Camps, taught the preeminence of Scripture memory, and believed in the victorious and Christ-honoring believer's spirited walk! His lessons at Morning Watch as the mist would rise from the lake were never addressed to "ladies and gentlemen, or even, "Brothers and sisters," but it was always "Beloved ones" and punctuated with "oh beloved of the Lord" when he spoke to and of us, God's dear children, of whatever age.
He wrote and worked at every level from commentaries on books on the Bible to children's stories books.
Now there was a man who was not a man's man, but God's man - in the 20th C. no less. Google his name and books and see all the things he wrote upon. Make him your friend. Thank God, trusted advisors are not limited to time and space when we have books!
That is the genius behind God's greatest gift to men: "The words that i speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life!" Jesus of course was also our beloved Woychuk's truest advisor.
I will be definitely seeking our brother out in glory land. I knew him so little, but came to know him so well, by studying the Greek N.T.
His Bible camps were one of the strongest influences as well as models for ministry and life throughout my life, always quietly hidden away in the background.
His camps - and his memory program, BMA, promoted discipleship and I caught it I think from him (his philosophy of interwoven ministries) more than almost any other source throughout my teen years, long before Uncle Rogers Bible studies, the Amwway duplicatability mentoring system, and finally the Gospels of Jesus that took hold of my life during my Bible sabbatical in '85.
Thanks for this wonderful and well-written article(s) on Edward (and Mary). You guys are truly Inspiring with a capital I. Ever be [and make] true-blue disciples of Jesus: the Few, the Poor, the Greatly Beloved.
Love Dad
I too was highly influenced by N A Woychuck, particularly enjoyed his presence at the Perth, New York camp during the 1960s. I have drifted away from evangelical Christianity, but feel the Scripture memory work he instituted has given me a good foundation and the Holy Spirit often quickens certain Scripture passaages that I have memorized as a child.
Good article!!!
Useful publication and excellent presentation!
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