The Sixteenth Century Paul
- May 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 12
The Lit Candle
Bishop Hugh Latimer’s conversion took place when he “began to smell the Word of God” and felt “called to knowledge.” His confidence was not in the doctrine and regulation of the Catholic Church, but in the “simplicity of the gospel” exemplified in “scripture…and faith alone.”
Latimer’s skills as an apologist for Christ surpassed the moribund tropes of the clergy, so much so that he became the “greatest popular preacher” during the English Reformation.
He dared to proclaim the Bible as “the solely sufficient authority in matters of faith, and…that men are justified by faith alone.”
His sermons were simple and humorous: even the least educated could appreciate his messages.
Latimer’s greatest contribution was opening the Gospel message to the commoner by challenging the clergy and monarchical hierarchy—at one point he presented a New Testament to guilty King Henry with a reminder that God will judge adulterers.
As a consequence, Latimer was to suffer the fate of martyr.
Friendly with the scholarly Bishop Nicholas Ridley, the two spent time together while imprisoned awaiting sentencing.
Their stories are awash with poignancies: Ridley commented the night before his burning that “though my breakfast will be somewhat sharp, my supper will be more pleasant and sweet” while Latimer is reported to have said matter of factly that “[martyrdom] had long groaned for him.”
Chained to the stake, the elderly Latimer encouraged Ridley: “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 shall never be put out,”
later included in Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 as a reminder to stand strong against opposition.
Centuries later, I taught this book to 16 year olds which is one reason Latimer’s life matters to me.
The sacrifice of martyrs illustrates the linear progression and maturity of the Christian church throughout history.
As in the Old Testament, Latimer worked to destroy idols and loosen the human clutch around the spiritual heart. He was old but unafraid to die for Christ.
To this day, he inspires, reminding Christians to “be strong and courageous,” as God said six times to the Bible’s fiercest warrior Joshua and repeated again and again in the Scripture.
Though considered a fool by some and a heretic by others, Latimer pursued truth at any cost, disregarding ridicule and pain.
One would think the glory of God would always dwell in the church but it has not.
As Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias said, “the glory of God has departed because righteousness has not yet been internalized by you….[and] where the glory of God dwells, there the voice of God is heard.” Latimer epitomizes this lesson.
I wish to possess Latimer’s qualities of loyalty, encouragement, strength and internalization of the word of God. His thumbprint is burned on my brain, as Bradbury put it.
Sometimes it is just a matter of playing the man, following the voice of God and realizing that, in all of history, as Latimer put it, “God is faithful, who doth not suffer us to be tempted above our strength.”
May the glory of God reveal itself daily, hourly, moment by moment.
