Page "Martin Bucer" Paragraph 56

Bucer's last major contribution to the English Reformation was a treatise on the original 1549 edition of the Book of Common Prayer.

Cranmer had requested his opinion on how the book should be revised, and Bucer submitted his response on 5 January 1551.

He called for the simplification of the liturgy, noting non-essential elements: certain holidays in the liturgical calendar, actions of piety such as genuflections, and ceremonies such as private masses.

He focused on the congregation and how the people would worship and be taught.

How far Bucer's critique influenced the 1552 second edition of the Prayer Book is unknown.

Scholars agree that although Bucer's impact on the Church of England should not be overestimated, he exercised his greatest influence on the revision of the Prayer Book.