The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society
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The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society JAN - MAR 2018 // £2 January - March 2018 1 The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society The Magdalen Chapel 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JR Tel: 0131 220 1450 Email: [email protected] John Craig www.scottishreformationsociety.org Registered charity: SC007755 THE EARLIER YEARS TO 1560 Chairman Committee Members » Rev Kenneth Macdonald » Rev Maurice Roberts John Craig is man of great importance in the history of Scotland because he was the Vice-Chairman » Rev Alasdair Macleod author of the National Covenant (or King’s Confession or Negative Confession) of » Mr Allan McCulloch » Mr Matthew Vogan January 1580/1, which subsequently became the main part of the National Covenant Secretary of February 1638. He is relatively little known, however. About the end of 1560, he » Rev Douglas Somerset » Rev John Keddie preached in Latin in the Magdalen Chapel because his English had become so rusty. Treasurer » Rev David Campbell Here we give an account of some of his remarkable experiences that preceded this. » Rev Andrew Coghill » Dr Robert Dickie John Craig was from an Aberdeenshire Returning to Scotland, Craig became family. He was aged 87 when he died in a Dominican friar, probably either in St December 1600, so he must have been Andrews or Aberdeen. A Dominican friar CO-OPERATION OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY born about 1513. His father was killed at named Robert Craig, who may well have (a) To propagate the evangelical Protestant faith In pursuance of its objects, the Society may co- the battle of Flodden in that year. John been a relative, is recorded in Aberdeen in operate with Churches and with other Societies and those principles held in common by those Churches and organisations adhering to attended St Andrew’s University; his dates 1532. Soon after he had become a friar, whose objects are in harmony with its own. the Reformation; there are uncertain, but it is likely that he John Craig was imprisoned for suspected was present in 1528 when Patrick Hamilton heresy, but was then released. There is Magazine Editor: Rev Douglas Somerset (b) To diffuse sound and Scriptural teaching on was martyred. no record of what the suspected heresy All literary contributions, books for review and the distinctive tenets of Protestantism and was, but presumably it was some element papers, should be sent to: Roman Catholicism; I. TUTOR AND DOMINICAN of Lutheranism, possibly the doctrine of The Magdalen Chapel On leaving St Andrews, Craig moved to the justification by faith. In 1534 both John (c) To carry on missionary work among 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh north of England where he became tutor Macdowell and John Macalpine – the adherents of the latter faith with a view to EH1 1JR winning them to the doctrines of grace and to to the sons of Lord Dacre of Gilsland, a Dominican priors of Wigtown and Perth, [email protected] the fellowship of the true Gospel; powerful member of the northern English respectively – became Protestants and nobility who was Warden of the Western fled to England, so probably it was in The views expressed in articles are those of (d) To produce and distribute evangelistic, March. The eldest of the boys was about the backlash against this that Craig was the contributor and may not necessarily reflect religious and other literature in connection with six at the time. After two years as a tutor, imprisoned. those of the Editor or the Committee of the the promotion of the Protestant religion; Craig returned to Scotland because of Society. Scriptural references are from the A.V. border conflict, and probably also because II. ITALY (e) To promote the associating together of men in July 1534, Lord Dacre was tried for high On his release from prison, Craig went to except where stated otherwise. and women, and especially young people, for systematic Bible Study and holding of treason on a charge of colluding with the England a second time, hoping, through Unattributed material is by the Editor. meetings for the above specified purposes. Scots. Most unusually for that time, Lord the influence of Lord Dacre to study at Dacre was acquitted, following a seven- Cambridge University. Unsuccessful in hour speech in his own defence; but Henry this, he decided to travel abroad. Henry VIII DESIGNED & PRINTED BY: VIII dismissed him from his wardenry and had started the dissolution of the English www.peppercollective.com fined him £10,000. monasteries and friaries, so there was no Tel:028 9851 2233 2 The Bulwark January - March 2018 3 future for Craig as a friar in England. In 1536, of Romanism such as transubstantiation. accommodation for the grand bishops he went to France – again acting as a tutor – Cardinal Pole was one of the leaders of the with their large retinues, and insufficient and then on to Rome. Here he met Reginald movement, along with Cardinal Contarini library facilities. It was, however, within Pole, later Archbishop of Canterbury under and several other cardinals and bishops. At the dominions of the Charles V, which Mary I of England, who became a cardinal in the time of Craig’s arrival in Italy, Pole was was an essential consideration. One of December 1536. Pole was in Rome between attending a select conference, appointed the subjects debated during the first July 1536 and February 1537, which helps by Pope Paul III and chaired by Contarini, period of the Council was the doctrine of to narrow the time of Craig’s arrival in Italy. on the issue of reforming the Church of justification, with the views of the spirituali Pole gave Craig a recommendation to Rome. This conference was dominated by being represented by Seripando, Sanfelice, the Dominican friary in Bologna, where he the spirituali. and others. They were outvoted, however, became the instructor of the novices. and their position was condemned in the The opponents of the spirituali within decree on Justification in January 1547. While at Bologna, Craig gave help to a Romanism were known as the zelanti, and Cardinal Reginald Pole Several more members of the movement man who had been badly injured, either in 1542 they secured the setting up of the died in 1547 (Bembo, Sadoleto, Vittoria in battle or at the hands of robbers, and Roman Inquisition, which they used as an III. THE DOMINICAN CONVENT IN Colonna) while others, including Cardinals who approached him while he was walking instrument for the suppression, not only BOLOGNA Pole and Morone, conformed reluctantly in a wood with his pupils. According to of Protestantism but also of the spirituali. Bologna has the oldest university in the to the Tridentine doctrine on justification. the account of John Row (whose father Some of the leading spirituali, such as world (founded 1088) and was a town of Others, such as Carnesecchi and the was a close friend of Craig’s), Craig was Fregoso, Contarini and the Spanish great importance in the medieval period. famous artist Michelangelo, retained their acting at the time as a tutor to a Protestant nobleman Juan de Valdes, died about that Charles V was crowned there as Holy views but concealed them, adopting the nobleman. Protestantism was quite strong time, while others, such as Peter Martyr Roman Emperor by Pope Clement VII in position that Calvin had attacked under the round Bologna at the time, according Vermigli, became open Protestants and fled 1530, and at time there were no fewer name of “Nicodemism”. If Craig did have to evidence cited in Thomas M‘Crie’s to Switzerland. Possibly Craig’s nobleman than ninety-six monasteries and convents spirituali views, he must have distanced Reformation in Italy; but from Craig’s declared his Protestantism at this stage. in the town. The Dominican convent to himself from the movement after 1547. subsequent career, it seems more likely The initial charge of heresy against Craig which Craig had gone had been founded by that the nobleman belonged to a religious in Scotland, his contact with Cardinal Pole, Dominic himself in 1218 and was the place In March 1547, a scare about the plague movement called the spirituali. These were and his employment by the Protestant or of his burial. In the words of one recent in Trent was used as an excuse to transfer people in the Church of Rome who had spirituali nobleman, all suggest that Craig’s writer, Michael Tavussi: “The convent of San the Council to Bologna, a far more suitable embraced the doctrine of justification by theological leanings were towards the Domenico was one of the most prestigious venue in every way except that it was within faith but who retained the other doctrines spirituali. in the entire (Dominican) order since its the Papal territories. The Council met in large conventual church contained the Bologna from April 1547 to February 1548, monumental tomb of the order’s founder. with much doctrinal discussion, but no Moreover, it was the site of an important decisions being reached. For a while, the studium generale (higher education faculty) students from the various convents were that was integrated in the theological faculty allowed to attend the discussions, but their of the University of Bologna and attracted numbers became too great and they had many graduate students from throughout to be excluded. There can be no doubt that the order. It possessed a remarkable library.” John Craig must have witnessed at least some of the meetings and discussions. In December 1545, the long-delayed Council of Trent commenced its IV. THE 1550S deliberations. Trent was a much smaller Craig continued at Bologna for most of the town about a hundred miles from Bologna, 1550s.