This paper explores the theological significance of two key reforms identified by Francisco Dryander in his 1549 letter to Thomas Cranmer: the abolition of the Mass and the allowance of clerical marriage. As Dryander wrote, “I also hear that a praiseworthy reformation has taken place in matters of religion: it has not yet seen the light, but its promulgation is daily expected. It is generally reported that the mass is abolished, and the liberty of marriage allowed to the clergy: which two I consider to be the principal heads of the entire reformation.” By examining these changes within the broader framework of Reformation theology, this paper highlights the intersection of sacramental and ecclesiological debates in shaping Protestant identity in England.
The abolition of the Mass and the shift toward Protestant understandings of the Lord’s Supper marked a fundamental departure from Catholic sacramental theology. Cranmer emphasized the Lord’s Supper as celebrating the spiritual presence of Christ rather than the bodily presence via transubstantiation. Similarly, the authorization of clerical marriage challenged medieval practices of priestly celibacy, asserting that ministers should be free to marry based on biblical and early church precedent. Both reforms represented a move toward a theology rooted in scriptural authority and a seismic shift in the nature of the priesthood.
This paper examines how these two theological changes were not merely parallel reforms but were deeply interconnected. In Catholic theology, the priest’s role in consecrating the Eucharist was linked to his status as a celibate intermediary between God and the laity. By dismantling the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the English reformers also redefined the role of the clergy, making marriage a natural extension of their new identity. In turn, clerical marriage reinforced the Reformation’s emphasis on the priesthood of all believers, further distancing England from Rome’s hierarchical sacramental system. Using Dryander’s letter as a lens, this paper situates these reforms within a broader transnational dialogue, illustrating how English Protestantism engaged with Continental theological currents. By exploring the theological rationale behind the intersection of the Eucharist and clerical marriage, this paper provides new insights into the doctrinal foundations of the English Reformation. It builds on current reformation studies research by Helen Parish, Alec Ryrie, and Diarmaid MacCulloch, encouraging further investigation into the intersection between changes in eucharistic theology and clerical marriage.