Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker ( born August 6 1504 Norwich, † May 17 1575 in Lambeth ) was Archbishop of Canterbury ( 1559-1575 ), and reformer of England.
Life and work
He was born the eldest son of William and Alice Parker born Monins. His mother was possibly family connected with Thomas Cranmer by a marriage in their relationship. After the death of William Parker, about 1516, his widow married John Baker, who thereby stepfather of Matthew Parker. Parker attended from 1522 Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Although it is said that he studied at the same time William Cecil; However, this seems unlikely, since Cecil at the time was only two years old. His studies he finished in 1525, and he was ordained a deacon in April 1527 and a priest two months later.
In September 1528, he was elected a Fellow of Corpus Christi College and took a master's degree there again. He was one of the scientists in Cambridge, who wanted to put Thomas Wolsey to his newly founded " Cardinal College " at Oxford. As Cranmer, also rejected Parker from this invitation. In the meantime, he stood namely under the influence of the Cambridge reformers, and after the recognition of Anne Boleyn as queen, he was appointed to her chaplain. He was in 1535 dean of the College of " secular canons " to Stoke -by- Clare Through her influence.
On August 1, 1559, Parker was elected Archbishop of Canterbury, but it proved difficult to find the necessary four bishops who wanted to consecrate him, and could, so that he was only on December 19, by William Barlow, formerly Bishop of Bath and Wells, John Scory, formerly Bishop of Chichester, Miles Coverdale, formerly Bishop of Exeter, and John Hodgkins, Bishop of Bedford, was consecrated in Lambeth.
Parker avoided becoming involved in secular politics and was never privy under Queen Elizabeth. The church policy was the reason of various difficulties for him. Some of the more Calvinist reformers demanded changes in the liturgy and at least the option of not having to wear certain items of clothing.