Marcus Loane on The English Reformation
In 1954, Marcus Loane – later Archbishop of Sydney and Sir Marcus – published his landmark “Masters of The English Reformation”.
It was republished in 2005 by Banner of Truth. If you haven’t read it, you ought to. (Availability.)
Here’s the Introduction —
“It was Martin Luther who declared that the doctrine of Justification by Faith Only is the article of a standing or falling church. The recovery of this doctrine was the key to the Reformation in Europe. It was the corollary of the translation of the Bible into the language of everyday life and its circulation in the homes and hands of ordinary people. These two momentous factors were to penetrate the Realm of England during the reign of Henry VIII and will forever be associated in a special sense with the names of Thomas Bilney and William Tyndale. These two, and many others as well, were to die at the stake as a result of their unswerving loyalty to the doctrines of Grace as made known in the Word of God. Nor did they die in vain. The supreme authority of Holy Scripture in all matters of faith and conduct was written into the sixth of the Articles of Religion; and the doctrine of Justification by Faith Only was summed up in unforgettable language in the Eleventh Article. Those two “Articles of the Christian Faith” are the bedrock on whIch the history of the Church of England since the Reformation must stand or fall.
But the pivot of the Reformation in England during the reign of Edward VI was the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper. Ridley’s discovery of the work of Ratramnus led him to reject the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass as totally foreign to the teaching of the New Testament. Ridley was able to convince Cranmer that Ratramnus was right; they came to believe that the bread and wine are “the pledges” of God’s redeeming love and that the presence of the Lord Jesus is not to be found in an earthly altar, but in the hearts of those who feed on Him by faith with thanksgiving. Ridley was to expound this doctrine with clarity and dignity in his Treatise on the Lord’s Supper, and Cranmer was to defend it with great learning in his controversy with Gardiner. This was the doctrine enshrined in the Source of the Holy Communion in the Book of Common Prayer in 1552.
When Queen Mary came to the throne, Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer were the outstanding Reformers who were thrown into prison. In all the debates which ensued, in their trial and condemnation for heresy, and in the sentence of death which consigned them to death by fire, the one basic issue was their doctrine of the Lord’s Supper as opposed to the dogmas of the church with regard to Transubstantiation and the Mass. If the Church were right and they were wrong, they were not only condemned to a terrible form of death as heretics but were doomed to a lost eternity. Their real greatness was seen in the fact that they dared to stand by their convictions, formed as a result of intensive study of the Scriptures, and to die at the stake rather than yield to the pressures that were brought to bear on mind and feeling. And the candle they lit is one which by the grace of God will never go out.
What happened more than four hundred years ago is still vitally relevant. The integrity and authority of the Bible have been under constant assault from many quarters and it is no longer the one Book in the homes and hands of all. Many people today think that a good life, a good name, and a good reputation will somehow make them acceptable to God. And the reformed doctrine of the Lord’s Supper has been obscured by an emphasis on the Real Presence which approximates more and more towards medieval teaching and practice. Let Bilney and Tyndale speak again; let Latimer and Ridley and Cranmer be heard afresh. They witnessed “a good confession” for their heavenly Master and sealed it with their lives.
May this book renew the impact of their life and death on another generation “in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” [1 Cor. 6:11].”
Photo: Ramon Williams. (This is a repost from 2014 in remembrance of the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer on 21 March 1556.)
Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane remembers the beginnings of the SUEU
In 1980, members of the Sydney University Evangelical Union were thanking God as they remembered the founding of the SUEU back in 1930.
They marked the jubilee by proclaiming Christ in ‘The Jubilee Mission’. John Chapman and Phillip Jensen were invited to speak at the public meetings.
As part of the preparations, on 30 April 1980, then Archbishop of Sydney, Sir Marcus Loane (1912 – 2009), addressed the SUEU’s End of Term Service, held at the Chapel of Wesley College.
In his 19 minute address, Sir Marcus recalls the beginnings of the Evangelical Union, fifty years earlier.
Former and current members of the SUEU, as well as others, will find this a great encouragement. Listen below:
Or download the audio by right-clicking on this link.
Related: AFES History.
Photo: Sir Marcus Loane at the service, by Dane Courtney.
Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane remembers the beginnings of the Sydney University Evangelical Union
Forty years ago, members of the Sydney University Evangelical Union were thanking God as they remembered the founding of the SUEU in 1930.
They marked the jubilee by proclaiming Christ in ‘The Jubilee Mission’.
As part of the preparations, on 30 April 1980, then Archbishop of Sydney, Sir Marcus Loane spoke at the SUEU’s End of Term Service.
In his 19 minute address, Sir Marcus recalls the beginnings of the Evangelical Union, fifty years earlier.
Listen on this page in our Resources section.
Most encouraging.
History Bytes – Remembering Sir Marcus Loane
“I was Rector of Berridale. The clergy of the Monaro were invited to dinner in the Cooma Rectory to meet Sir Marcus Loane, then Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia. I found him a shy and reserved person, but when Church history was the subject his face lit up. …”
– On the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn website, Fr. Robert Wilson remembers a great man.
Related:
From Strength to Strength — A Life of Marcus Loane by Allan M. Blanch reviewed at Australian Presbyterian.
(Photo courtesy of Ramon Williams.)
From Strength to Strength — A Life of Marcus Loane — reviewed
In the Autumn 2017 issue of Australian Presbyterian, Bruce Murray briefly reviews From Strength to Strength – A Life of Marcus Loane, by ACL Emeritus Vice-President Canon Allan M. Blanch.
“Together with a good supply of appropriate photographs, this book gives an excellent coverage not only to Loane’s life but also to the history of the Anglican Church in Australia.”
It’s on page 21 of this 7MB PDF file.
The book was launched in October 2015. Copies are available through the publisher.
Biography of Sir Marcus Loane launched in Sydney
A large crowd gathered in Sydney on October 14th for the launch of a substantial biography of Sir Marcus Loane, Archbishop of Sydney 1966-1982.
From Strength to Strength – A Life of Marcus Loane, was written by Canon Allan M. Blanch, who is also an Emeritus Vice-President of the Anglican Church League.
The book was launched by Dame Marie Bashir.
From Strength to Strength promises to be an important contribution to Australian Church History. It also introduces Sir Marcus to new generations of Christians who, until now, may have known little about this towering figure.
A paperback edition is now available for order through the publisher’s website.
Top photo: Allan Blanch at the book launch.
Related: Archbishop Marcus Loane photo gallery.
Remembering Archbishop Marcus Loane
Today marks the 5th anniversary of the death of Sir Marcus Loane, Archbishop of Sydney from 1966 to 1982 and Primate of Australian 1979 to 1982. (Thanks to Greg Blaxland for the reminder.)
Perhaps it’s a good time to pause to give thanks for him and his legacy in Sydney and beyond.
Here are a few articles from the archives –
- Statement from Archbishop Peter Jensen – 14 April 2009
- Dean Phillip Jensen’s tribute – 17 April 2009.
- Archbishop Marcus Loane photo gallery.
- Remembering with gratitude Sir Marcus Loane, on the Centenary of his birth – 14 October 2011.
- Sydney Synod gives thanks for Marcus Loane – 18 October 2011.
- The Marcus I Knew and Loved – an appreciation by Greg Blaxland.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus — Tribute to Broughton Knox by Sir Marcus Loane
Broughton Knox, Principal of Moore College 1959–1985, former President of the ACL, and leading theologian died in Sydney on January 14th 1994.
Broughton’s funeral at Sydney’s St. Andrew’s Cathedral was attended by a host of friends and former students.
Archbishop-emeritus Sir Marcus Loane preached at the service on January 19th.
We reprinted his address in the March 1994 ACL News with the author’s kind permission.
____________________
Broughton’s sudden illness and death sent a shock wave throughout both family and diocese.
On Tuesday morning, he was at Summer School; afterwards he entertained Dr. Carson at lunch. Then at midnight, or a little later, he was stricken with a severe cerebral haemorrhage. He was transferred from Katoomba to Prince Alfred, but never regained consciousness.
We have now come to lay him to rest with great sorrow for a loss we can ill afford. But we thank God upon every remembrance of a good and faithful servant.
There were many strands in Broughton’s complex make-up as husband and father, teacher and friend. But all who knew him know that his life was ruled by a profound faith in God. That life was to span just a shade over seventy seven years from the time of his birth. And they were years crowded with quiet achievement as well as moments of high drama.
It was a life rich in friendship, in world-wide contacts, and in special fields of service. And it has left a mark for God that will endure in and beyond his own generation.
Broughton was born in an Adelaide rectory but grew up as a son of this Diocese. He was always fonder of books than of games, and read books beyond his years as a schoolboy.
England
He took his degree in Arts at Sydney, a B.D. and M.Th from London, and a D.Phil at Oxford. As a graduate of three Universities, his experience was exceptionally wide and varied.
After his Ordination in the Diocese of Ely, he served for two years as a Cambridge Curate. Then as a Chaplain in the Royal Navy – when he was off-shore for three months after D. Day. The immediate post war years were somewhat chequered though he joined the Staff of Moore College.
Turning Point
The great turning point was his marriage to Ailsa Lane and his departure to Oxford in 1950. He returned from England to become Vice-Principal in 1954: the start of a new era: and he came into his own in 1959 when he took up the mantle of Principalship.
Twenty six years followed in which he ceaselessly pursued standards of excellence – as in the choice of staff, the curriculum for students, the development of the Library.
Broughton’s light cannot be hid – it was to shine far beyond College precincts. As early as 1941 he had joined the Biblical Research Committee of the IVF in England. Douglas Johnson often recalled Broughton’s sevenfold “No, No, No…”, as he voiced his dissent. All his life he went on saying “No” persistently and effectively to whatever he perceived to be wrong.
The Red Book Case
Then in 1947 his name came to the fore through another surprising issue in Sydney. He was called as “an expert witness” before the Chief Judge in Equity in the Red Book Case. He was cross-examined by Mr F.W. Kitto K.C., himself later a Supreme Court Judge. Kitto was baffled and threw down his papers, the only time he was ever rattled by a witness.
Broughton’s stand in scenes like these was to repeat itself from time to time in wider circles, e.g. on Archbishop Mowll’s nomination he became a member of the Australian Council of the World Council of Churches. But his contribution was too strong for the more liberal emphasis then predominant. He was never afraid of controversy and often stood unabashed at the heart of a storm.
Wider Influence
Broughton soon began to make his voice heard in the Diocesan Synod and Standing Committee. When he became a member of General Synod in 1954, he was promptly placed on the Constitution Committee.
Through The Australian Church Record his views received the widest publicity and his activities continued to cross a wide spectrum of church life and affairs.
He served on the General Synod’s Commission on Doctrine and on Canon Law. He became President of the NSW Council of Churches and was responsible for a weekly broadcast. He worked hard to establish the Halls of Residence and the New Universities College Council.
Books
In his travels overseas he won widespread recognition both in England and in the USA. His D.Phil. thesis on The Doctrine of Faith in the Reign of Henry VIII is a standard work of reference. And his book The Everlasting God struck out a fresh and original line of approach.
He was like a patriarchal figure for successive generations of ordinands. And he continued to be the oracle to whom they turned for counsel and guidance.
Broughton relinquished his office as Principal of Moore College in February 1985 but he continued to lecture in Theology on a part-time basis for four more years.
South Africa
Then his dedication both to theology and the training of men led to a new venture for God. He left Sydney in January 1989 to go and found a new Theological College in South Africa. He was 72 years old and he went out to serve a small embattled Church – a Church in a country racked by political turmoil and racial violence.
He and Ailsa took up residence in Kalk Bay and opened George Whitefield College for black and white. He had to struggle for funds, for books for the library, for housing for students. When he retired four years later, in December ’92, he left the College as a steady going concern.
It had been the crowning work in a ministry of great distinction and personal dedication.
His work done, he had barely more than twelve months to live. These were his great joys – he saw his youngest daughter married in September and his younger son ordained in December.
Knowing God
Broughton’s home life, academic record, college career, general ministry speak for themselves. There were always strong emotional currents in his make-up, they broke the surface now and then.
But the driving force in his daily life as a public figure was a powerful intellect. Broughton was a theologian who brought a fresh and original mind to his thinking.
Is there perhaps some special text that sums up all that he stood for? I choose one of many because it points to the grand and constant theme of all his teaching.
“This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, Jesus Christ whom thou has sent”.
We all want life, we want life now. How much more life when this life is done! – life eternal. And the secret is the knowledge of God, the one true God, the God who spoke by the prophets.
God has spoken, we must listen – and Broughton made this abundantly clear to the last day.
The God who spoke by the prophets revealed Himself in the fullest degree in the Son whom he sent. If we would know what God is like, we must hear His voice in his Word and see His Face in his Son.
And for Broughton himself? Earthly things have passed away, now he knows even as he is known.
________________________________________
Editorial
And, accompanying this address in the March 1994 issue of the ACL News was this Editorial:
Broughton Knox had a profound influence on the shape of the Anglican Church in Sydney and further afield.
As a lecturer at Moore College, and then as Principal for 26 years, Dr. Knox (in conjunction with others, notably Bishops Marcus Loane and Donald Robinson) brought a quiet revolution to an already strongly evangelical diocese.
During his Principalship, Moore College was transformed from a denominational Evangelical College to a more broadly based Reformed College, while still retaining its Anglican roots.
Generations of graduates from Moore College have continued the application of God’s Word they learned under “DBK”. In lectures he was often controversial – indeed, he delighted in summoning reactions from his students – so as to draw them into debate. He enjoyed telling you that your pet idea had been declared to be heresy centuries ago!
One of the greatest tributes to DBK’s work is that in recent times his insights into the Bible and the doctrine of the Church no longer seemed as radical as they had to earlier generations – so effectively had his students taught what they had learned.
Others will evaluate Dr. Knox’s contribution to theology (e.g. see the article by Dr. Robert Doyle to be published in The Briefing).
The Anglican Church League has a special debt to D.B. Knox –
Not only was he Principal of Moore College and a member of Synod and Standing Committee, but Broughton also served as ACL President in the 1960s and ’70s.
He always maintained a close interest in the League’s work, even while in South Africa.
He and Ailsa were special guests at the League’s AGM in July 1993, at which he gave the address.
Last month, at its meeting, the Council of the ACL passed this resolution –
“In noting the sudden death of Dr. D.B. Knox, the Council wishes to record its deep sense of loss, its gratitude to God for Broughton’s friendship, wise counsel and leadership, and recognises his example of a faithful teacher and champion of biblical truth in the church of God.
The Council assures Ailsa and the family of its prayerful support at this time and for the future.”
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus” was sung at the service at Dr. Knox’s graveside.
Whatever one thought of Broughton Knox, all will agree that he was a servant of God who always sought to turn others to the Lord Jesus Christ and his word.
We can thank God for DBK and for the legacy he has left us.
______
Top photo: Moore College. Second photo: George Whitefield College.
Synod gives thanks for Marcus Loane
Sydney Synod today passed this motion –
“On the 100th anniversary of his birth, Synod thanks God for the life and ministry of Sir Marcus Loane; Moore College Principal (1953-1966), Australian Army Chaplain (Kokoda Track, 1942-1945) the first Australian born Archbishop of Sydney (1966- 1982) and Primate of Australia (1978).
We thank God for Sir Marcus’ contribution to the evangelical identity of our Diocese. He served us by providing a model of godly leadership and leaving a legacy of published works. In particular those biographical books bringing to life heroes of the faith will ensure that our evangelical heritage is not easily lost.
With fondness we remember the clarity of his preaching, the strength of his convictions, the warmth of his pastoral care and his faithfulness in prayer.
In passing this motion, Synod thanks God for Lady Loane and her partnership in Sir Marcus’ ministry. We send her greetings, love and God’s comfort.”
(Photo: Ramon Williams.)
Archbishop Marcus Loane photo gallery
All photos with thanks to Ramon Williams, Worldwide Photos unless otherwise credited.
Click images for larger versions.
Marcus Loane as Principal of Moore College in 1955. Photo: Moore College. Taken for the Centenary History.
Press Conference with Billy Graham at St. Andrew’s House in May 1979. Warwick Olson (director of public relations for the diocese) is at left.
With Billy Graham in 1979.
With Billy Graham in Sydney in 1968.
Archbishop Marcus Loane.
Sir Marcus Loane.
Synod meeting in Chapter House, October 1976.
With the Queen at St Andrew’s Cathedral, October 1973. (The Queen was here to open the Sydney Opera House.)
With Queen Elizabeth II at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, March 13 1977.
With Prince Charles, 1981, looking up at the Cathedral.
Sir Marcus and Lady Loane at Bishopscourt, 1980. Photo: Anglican Information Office, Sydney.
Sir Marcus at the Crusaders Conference Centre, Galston, 1980. Photo: Dane Courtney.
Sir Marcus 2008. Silas Horton looks on.
Sir Marcus and Lady Loane, November 2008.
Archbishops Loane, Robinson, Goodhew and Jensen, February 24th 2008.
Remembering with gratitude Sir Marcus Loane, on the Centenary of his birth
Marcus Loane was born in Tasmania one hundred years ago – on 14 October 1911.
He grew up in Chatswood in Sydney, becoming a Christian at the age of thirteen. After completing school, he worked as a shipping clerk while studying at Sydney University in the evenings.
In 1932, he entered Moore Theological College, with a view to ordination for parish ministry. He excelled academically in the Th.L and also earned an MA in English from Sydney University. Read more
Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane — in photos
See the photo gallery here.
Phillip Jensen’s tribute to Sir Marcus Loane
How strange is the death of one of God’s people. The Psalmist says: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15).
“The clergy of my generation had an unreserved admiration of him. His very distinctive manner of speech was often impersonated. His memory for details was legendary. But it was his willingness to courageously stand for the truth, without fear or favour, which won our deep veneration.”
– Read the Dean of Sydney’s tribute to Sir Marcus Loane at the Cathedral website.
Funeral and Thanksgiving services for Sir Marcus Loane announced
Anglican Media Sydney reports that a funeral service will be held for Sir Marcus Loane on Tuesday April 21 at St James’, Turramurra at 2:00pm.
A Diocesan thanksgiving service will be held next month — on Wednesday May 13 at St Andrew’s Cathedral at 10:00am. (Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net)
NSW mourns Sir Marcus Loane
Press Release from the NSW Council of Churches
“He was a wonderful Bible teacher who expounded the Scriptures and made them clear to us.” – Deaconess Margaret Rodgers.
The NSW Council of Churches extends its condolences to the family of the Most Reverend Marcus Lawrence Loane KBE, former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, who died on Monday in Sydney, aged 97.
Ordained in 1935, Sir Marcus was the first Australian-born Archbishop of Sydney, serving from 1966 to 1982, and was Primate of Australia from 1978 to 1982. He was vice-principal of Moore Theological College from 1939 to 1953, and Principal from 1954 to 1959. He served as Chaplain to the Australian Imperial Forces in New Guinea from 1942 to 1944. Read more
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