Confidence in the midst of tragedy

 Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England by Faith Cook

How would you respond if someone came and told you they’d decided you would be the next King or Queen? Would you feel flattered? Excited about the power and prestige that would soon be yours? Maybe a little intimidated? Following King Edward’s death in 1553, the King's protectors chose Lady Jane as his successor. The alternative was Lady Mary, daughter of Henry VIII, but they were concerned that as a staunch Catholic, Lady Mary would undo all of the changes made by the reformers if she were to ascend the throne. A young woman of 16, from a respectable and powerful Protestant family, and a direct Tudor descendant, Lady Jane Grey could be used as pawn in these political decisions.

Jane’s response was not what these powerbrokers wished to hear – she immediately refused to become Queen, stating that Lady Mary was the rightful heir! Sadly though for Jane, as with most decisions in her life, she had very little say and in following days was taken to London in a procession and announced as the new Queen of England.

Over the next week, a power struggle emerged between those loyal to Mary, and those willing to support Jane. The reluctant new queen was completely at the mercy of those who had manoeuvred her into power and promised to provide military support to keep her there. What an uncertain time it must have been for Jane! It is an encouragement to continue to read of her steadfast faith in God, and her trust that whatever the future held it would be in his control and by his will.

As you might have expected, those who had earlier pledged support for Jane each left her side and after nine days it was clear that Mary would be proclaimed the rightful Queen of England. Sadly for Jane, this resulted in her being imprisoned in the Tower of London and charged with treason. It seems that at first Jane’s good character and standing with Queen Mary worked in her favour. However, Mary’s advisors, keen to repeal any influence of the reformers, pressured her into agreeing to the death penalty for Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley.

It is sad to read that many of those who had embraced the truths of the reformation and become Protestants at this time quickly renounced their change and returned to Catholicism. This even included Lady Jane’s father and father in law, who were so influential in the plot to make her Queen! It is clear from Cook’s narrative that the temptation to place our trust in worldly power and security was as attractive then as it is today.

I have read and reread Jane’s final letter to her sister the night before her execution a number of times. It is emotional, honest and yet full of confidence in her salvation. Here are just a few sentences:

“Rejoice in Christ, as I do. Follow the steps of your Master Christ, and take up your cross: lay your sins on his back, and always embrace him… For I am assured, that I shall, for losing of a mortal life, win an immortal life, the which I pray God grant you, and send you of his grace to live in his fear, and to die in the true Christian faith, from the which (in God’s name) I exhort you, that you never swerve, neither for hope in life, nor for fear of death.”

Lady Jane Grey indeed lived a tragic life with so much of it outside her control. Reading about how badly she was treated, even by her own family, is difficult. Yet she continued to put her faith in God, and trust in Christ Jesus’s death and resurrection for her salvation. Reading Christian biographies like this one is a great way to see how God has continued to work in the lives of his people throughout history. It is an encouragement to live for Him, no matter the circumstances we face in life. It also helps us to appreciate the sacrifices Christians have made so that we can enjoy the freedom and ability to worship Jesus publicly, in our own language, and without fear of persecution. Those who came after Queen Mary established Protestantism as the official religion in England, and encouraged the key reformation truths which Jane had so boldly held herself. Lady Jane Grey’s life, and the witness to Christ of others at the time, is something to give great thanks to God for.

About this month's contributor, Sarah Cameron

I love to read, but don't get much time at the moment as looking after my toddler keeps me on my toes.  I’m thankful to be part of the St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield and Bossley Park church family, where Gus my husband is an Assistant Minister. Not originally from the South West, our free time is spent exploring the local area, experiencing new foods and getting to know people from different backgrounds. 

Appreciating the past

 

Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England by Faith Cook

Faith Cook weaves two intriguing narratives through her book Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England. The first is an account of the political and religious events of the 1500s. Alongside these events we get a very personal picture of what living during this turbulent time was like, through the life of Lady Jane Grey. A genuine Christian, we follow Jane as she tries to live as a Protestant among many (including her own parents) who were only interested in improving their political and economic standing.

One of the explanations of historical events of the time that I found most thought-provoking was how the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) was introduced by Thomas Cramner in 1549. Maybe you attend a church meeting that uses the green prayer books? Or maybe your church has a congregation who use them on a regular basis? While the language has been updated, the structure and content of this way of Christians meeting together has largely remained unchanged for 450 years!

It’s hard to imagine now, but the BCP caused considerable outrage when it was introduced. For many, it King Edward’s clearest attempt to make England a Protestant nation. I found it encouraging to read about Edward’s intent for all people to be able to worship God in English (rather than Latin) and  read the Bible for themselves (where previously it had been exclusively the role of clergy). So many generations of people have been brought to a saving relationship with Christ through his Word as a result. I think that it has given me a better appreciation of the BCP, and the richness of it’s wording too.

Conflict and upheaval was reflected in Lady Jane’s life too. As Jane grew closer to becoming a teenager, her family’s quest to find her a suitable husband intensified. Yes you did read that right – a teenager! Really, the search had begun when she was still a small child. Sadly, Jane had little choice and wasn’t consulted in the decision. Her parents, motivated by political greed, wanted to position Jane as a Protestant alternative to succeed King Edward. The teenage king seemed frail and the possibility of Henry VIII’s eldest daughter Mary, a staunch Roman Catholic, ascending the throne if Edward died young was a constant threat. So it was decided that Jane would marry Guilford Dudley, a family friend also from an influential Protestant family.

These were particularly hard times for Jane. However, as Cook shares, it was these experiences that further refined her faith in God:

“Such circumstances sent Jane ever more frequently to that strong source of consolation for the Christian, the presence and sustaining power of Christ… The truths of the gospel were all important to her; she read the Scriptures diligently, using her Greek to help her understand the New Testament. Through the harsh experiences in her life, she was learning the way into God’s presence in prayer, seeking him for the strength she needed.” (p101).

These convictions would be extremely important in the events of Jane’s life yet to come. Because while there were genuine Christians interested in reforming the church and encouraging the faithful teaching of the Bible, others were only interested in these changes for their own political and economic gain. But either way, a Roman Catholic Queen on the throne would present serious problems for all those interested in the Reformation’s continued progress.

Only a few months after Jane’s wedding, the 15 year old King Edward died. I appreciated Cook’s poetic description of the afternoon Edward died:

“A violent thunderstorm broke over London that afternoon, as though symbolic of the stormy years that lay ahead, particularly for the men and women who were faithful to the great truths of the Reformation – those truths that had transformed the lives of many in all parts of the land”.

That statement would indeed ring true in Jane’s life. 

About this month's contributor, Sarah Cameron

I love to read, but don't get much time at the moment as looking after my toddler keeps me on my toes.  I’m thankful to be part of the St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield and Bossley Park church family, where Gus my husband is an Assistant Minister. Not originally from the South West, our free time is spent exploring the local area, experiencing new foods and getting to know people from different backgrounds. 

Tumultuous Times

Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England by Faith Cook

 

You’ve probably heard of Henry VIII, King of England, but how much do you know about his niece, Lady Jane Grey? While people might (rightly) question Henry’s commitment to genuine Christianity, it’s remarkable to read about the genuine, steadfast faith of someone in his family.

That is how I felt reading Faith Cook’s book “Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England”. Odds are that if you have read about English history, you’ll know about the reign of Henry VIII from 1509 – 1547. The period of the Tudor Dynasty was one of the most tumultuous times in England’s history. That’s because Henry VIII is best known for a decision that significantly changed the course of England’s history – a split with the Roman Catholic Church and establishment of the Church of England. The catalyst for the split? For Henry, it was the desire to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon (he went on to have five more wives, making him a very infamous king!). But at the same time, religious reformers in England and Europe were also challenging the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, bringing about a period of great spiritual renewal.

It was into this turbulent time that Lady Jane Grey was born and raised. Faith Cook’s book helps bring her interesting and, ultimately, tragic life out of the shadows of those who came before and after her. Jane was the great niece of Henry VIII and the same age as Henry’s son and heir Prince Edward.

What struck me the most about Cook’s opening chapters that explain Jane’s early life was just how different growing up as a young woman in the 1500s was to today. A high born woman was seldom seen as more than a way for her family to gain advantage and influence at court. But as a potential bride for Prince Edward, Jane Grey received a far more thorough education than others her age. Through the influence of the Christian Queen Katherine Parr (Henry’s last wife), her tutors taught Jane the reformation truths of grace, forgiveness of sins and acceptance with God based on the work of Jesus, and she also studied one of the first authorised English translations of the Bible.

The 1500s saw great uncertainty across England and Europe. Behind the scenes power struggles and intrigue were common place. And all the more when a King died. Following Henry’s death in 1547 his son Prince Edward became king. But being only 9, a group of men made decisions on Edward’s behalf. Brought up as a staunch Protestant, Edward and his protectors continued the far reaching political and religious changes that his father had started. However, being so young meant instability continued to hang over England. Sadly for Jane, this instability would see her become an innocent victim of her family’s desire for power.

So why read about a young woman who lived over 450 years ago? If you haven’t read much about this period of history before, Cook does a good job of explaining the key people and events in a straightforward and fascinating way. I found it encouraging to read about Jane’s authentic faith and how she sought to know God better and follow him as best she could, even when she wasn’t in control of the circumstances and decisions in her life. These verses from 1 Peter come to mind as I reflect on the first chapters in Cook’s book:

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:6-9

About this month's contributor, Sarah Cameron

I love to read, but don't get much time at the moment as looking after my toddler keeps me on my toes.  I’m thankful to be part of the St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield and Bossley Park church family, where Gus my husband is an Assistant Minister. Not originally from the South West, our free time is spent exploring the local area, experiencing new foods and getting to know people from different backgrounds.