Tuesday, September 3, 2024

*** This is a rough transcript of today’s show ***

It is the 3rd of September 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

After Monday night's win, both of my sons are fighting over who is going to name their first child “Kyren Hudson van Voorhis” and which one will get “Miller Moss van Voorhis”—nevertheless, Walt, as I told you on the phone, you were right. Fight on. Do you know who else “fought on”? The Cavaliers and Roundheads during the English Civil Wars.

And you know who was central to all of that? The dastardly, pious, reckless, or genius Oliver Cromwell died on the 3rd of September in 1658 as the model of a new kind of Puritan and is remembered fondly by some and rightly despised by the Irish.

So, who was Cromwell, and why is he central to history and church history?

He was the distant cousin of Thomas Cromwell, who served under Henry VIII in the 16th century. This Cromwell, Oliver, was born in 1599 in Cambridgeshire and attended Cambridge from 1616 to 1617, returning home upon his father's death.

We don’t know much about his early years- his family was lower gentry because of his famous connections. This enabled him to marry Elizabeth Boucher- daughter of a merchant with a considerable dowry. The two would have nine children, with son Richard taking over the Commonwealth with his father's death.

We know that Oliver was treated for melancholy sometime in the 1620s and that in the early 1630s, he had a religious “conversion” to Puritanism. I heard one historian refer to him as “born again,” which is a curious anachronism but gives the idea of a spiritual experience and devotion.

Let me give you the important context- especially in the church- Charles I was King. The Son of King James, he fancied himself something of an absolute monarch (the Divine Right of Kings was a favorite idea of his fathers). Under Charles was Archbishop William Laud, who attempted to enforce hierarchy and uniformity in the church.

Catholic Ireland and Presbyterian Scotland were not keen on this, nor were English Puritans. The first phase of the English Civil War started in 1642, the same year Cromwell joined the so-called “Roundheads.” These were the pro-parliament Puritans known for their short, cropped hair cuts as opposed to the royalist “Cavaliers” and their flowing locks.

Parliament wins round one. Without getting lost in the weeds, the second phase is Parliament against Scotland- Parliament wins again, this time in large part due to the military prowess of Cromwell and his “new model” army. King Charles is beheaded (this is 1649), and Cromwell, now leading the army, heads to Ireland.

With the conquest of Ireland, Cromwell was now the major figure standing in the rubble of the three kingdoms. He would be named Lord Protector- an office only held by himself and his son in English history. Some refer to this as the “Interregnum,” as after the failure of Richard Cromwell, Charles II came back in the ‘Restoration’ of the Crown.

Depending on where you are, the name Cromwell is associated with the Roundheads (pro-Parliament forces) and the Puritans. We could argue that he was neither sufficiently parliamentarian nor Puritan, but we will stick to the “not-Puritan” claim.

Cromwell’s time in power saw the name “Puritan” become a political label as much as a theological distinction. Cromwell was known for his blue language, love of tobacco and drink, song, and games. Yet, he banned Christmas and the Maypole and is generally associated as a buzzkill (or, in Ireland, just a ‘kill’).

Amidst his army and new “Puritan” followers were the Levellers and 5th Monarchy Men—relatively extreme groups that now found refuge under the banner of “Puritan” as it came to mean something more political and anti-Royalist than theological. Theological movements and terms hijacked for political reasons are nothing new.

With the death of Oliver on this, the 3rd of September in 1658, the Commonwealth was not for long- his son Richard or “trickle down dick” was ineffective and resigned after a few months. The Royalists, back in power, would exhume Cromwell’s body and properly “execute him” posthumously in 1661.

A charismatic, decisive, Puritan-ish or adjacent, one-time ruler of England, the Three Kingdoms, with a power unknown to some kings- he helped transform “Puritan England” from a theological anomaly to political power.

Cromwell, born in 1599, was 59 years old at his death.  

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary and 1 Peter 2:

19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 

“He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 3rd of September 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by Roundhead and Longbeard Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who is predicting an undefeated season and national championship… mark it down- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.