James Cranford facts for kids

James Cranford (born around 1592, died 1657) was an English clergyman who followed the Presbyterian faith. During the 1640s, he was very active in deciding which religious books could be published. He was part of a group of London Presbyterians who were keen to identify and speak out against ideas they considered wrong or "heretical." He even wrote an introduction for a famous book called Gangraena by Thomas Edwards, which listed many of these "wrong" ideas.

Life of James Cranford

Early Life and Education

James Cranford was the son of another James Cranford, who was the headmaster of the Coventry free school. Young James was born in Coventry around 1592. He started studying at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1617. He earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1621 and his master's degree (M.A.) in 1624. After his studies, he became a priest. He served as the rector (head priest) of Brockhall, Northamptonshire, and then, starting in 1643, he became the rector of St. Christopher, London.

Working as a Censor

During the time known as the Commonwealth (when England was a republic), James Cranford worked as a "licenser" for the press. This meant he had to approve books before they could be printed and sold. He wrote many introductions for the books he allowed to be published.

This job was part of a bigger power struggle in England. Cranford often faced criticism from a group called the Independents. They didn't like his strong opinions and felt he was unfair in his decisions. A writer named Henry Robinson specifically pointed out Cranford's bias when arguing for more religious tolerance. This debate grew, even involving important people like William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele. He said that Cranford was too influenced by Scottish figures like Robert Baillie. Cranford also caused controversy by approving books by David Buchanan. In 1649, the Presbyterians tried to gain more power against the army, and in March of that year, Cranford lost his job as a licenser.

Debates and Later Life

In early 1652, James Cranford took part in two public debates at William Webb's house in London. He debated with Peter Chamberlen the third on two main questions:

• Can a private person preach without being officially ordained (made a minister)?
• Are Presbyterian ministers truly the right ministers of the gospel?

Cranford argued that a private person should not preach without ordination. He also strongly believed that Presbyterian ministers were indeed the true ministers. A full report of these debates was published in June 1652.

James Cranford passed away on April 27, 1657. He was buried in the church of St. Christopher, where he had been rector. His son, also named James Cranford, followed in his father's footsteps and became a priest. He took over his father's position at St. Christopher's but sadly died in August 1660.

Writings and Ideas

James Cranford wrote several books and contributed to others.

Important Books

• Confutation of the Anabaptists: This book was written to argue against the beliefs of a religious group called the Anabaptists.
• Expositions on the Prophecies of Daniel, 1644: In this book, Cranford shared his interpretations of the prophecies found in the biblical Book of Daniel.
• Haereseomachia, or the Mischief which Heresies do, 1646: This was a sermon (a religious speech) that Cranford gave. It talked about the problems caused by "heresies," which were ideas considered wrong by the church. Someone later wrote a reply to this sermon.

Other Contributions

Cranford also wrote an introduction for a book called Tears of Ireland in 1642. This book described the harsh treatment of Protestants in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. It included dramatic pictures, though the account itself was quite exaggerated.

He also wrote introductions for other religious books, such as:

• Richard Stock's Stock of Divine Knowledge (1641)
• Thomas Edwards's Gangraena, parts one and two (1646)
• Christopher Love's The Soul's Cordiall (1652)
• Benjamin Woodbridge's Sermons on Justification (1652)

In 1653, Cranford's ideas in Woodbridge's book were strongly criticized by William Eyre. Eyre disagreed with Cranford's view on "conditional justification by faith," which was a complex religious idea about how people become righteous in the eyes of God.