Before we head into the weekend and another bout with LMW (Lent Madness Withdrawal) we must first finalize the saints of the Faithful Four. Mary Magdalene? Check. Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Check. Margaret of Scotland (very close call yesterday as she barely squeaked past Enmegahbowh!) Check. Today you will decide whether Thomas Cranmer or Emma of Hawaii will join this august trio in forming the holy quartet that will move forward in their pursuit of the Golden Halo.
To get this far, Thomas Cranmer defeated Ephrem of Edessa and Columba while Emma's road included surprising victories over Catherine of Siena and Paul of Tarsus. Check out the updated bracket to see how things have played out thus far.
We will begin the Faithful Four straightaway on Monday morning with Mary Magdalene taking on Margaret of Scotland. Then on Tuesday it's Dietrich Bonhoeffer battling the winner of today's match-up. Finally, voting for the winner of the Golden Halo will take place on Spy Wednesday. Enjoy a breather this weekend -- you've earned it! And be ready to go on Monday of Holy Week.
To this writer’s dismay, it seems no one has yet made a Thomas Cranmer action figure. If anyone has pull at Mattel, please put in a good word for the archbishop. The kitsch surrounding the writer of the Book of Common Prayer is pretty thin; however, Cranmer has the distinction of being the Archbishop of Canterbury played by more film and TV actors than any other. 
Most recently played by Hans Matheson in The Tudors, 22 actors have stepped into the role since 1911 (according to IMBD.com). The character of Thomas Cranmer has even appeared in a film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture – A Man for All Seasons in 1966. This makes Cranmer the only member of the Elate Eight to appear in a Best Picture winning film.
Several Do-It-Yourself-ers provide goodies for those of us interested in Cranmer’s kitsch.
Coffee mugs, T-shirts, bags, and mouse pads, among other things, are all available. If you head to England, you can stop by the site of Cranmer’s martyrdom, marked by a brick cross on Broad Street in Oxford. The Martyrs’ Memorial, built in the 1840s, includes a statue of Cranmer, and it stands in St. Giles Street, also in Oxford. 
Looking to test your Cranmer knowledge? Take a ten-question quiz here. Finally, if you’re into historical fiction and mysteries, take a look at C.J. Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake mystery series. Running into our archbishop is a real treat: he is a character in Sovereign (2006) and Revelation (2008). One last thing: I want a Cranmer bobblehead. Can someone get on that?
While Queen Emma of Hawaii - unlike her opponent in today’s match-up - never composed beautiful language that I will babble from the depths of memory (along with all the words to the Brady Bunch theme) when I am old and eating strained carrots in a nursing home, she influenced and improved the physical, spiritual, and mental health of thousands, perhaps millions, of people in her time and moving forward to our own day.
Kitsch-wise, she has her share but, after a small sampling, we’ll take a look at her real influence.
This Queen Emma beer stein allows you to “Make any day Oktobe
rfest whether with this impressive stein on the shelf or in-hand. Cheers!” The same photo of Emma may be purchased on a regular mug, a throw pillow, or a journal in which to pour your soul to the kindly queen.
For those who wish to share their enthusiasm for Queen Emma on their person, there is the “Emma and Proud” tee-shirt (pink only).
If you feel the need to cuddle up, there is always the 14-inch Emma friend doll from Buns of Maui on sale for only $25.19.
The philatelists among us are not left in the cold in the Emma-Commema-ration department. There are postage stamps, both old and new, commemorating Queen Emma, including a $9 stamp issued in 2011 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of her birth. A nine dollar stamp! The U.S. Postal Service just issued stamps bearing the visages of José Ferrer and Danny Thomas for a mere $.45.
[Celebrity Blogger’s Note: “In 1989, the 500th Anniversary of the birth of Thomas Cranmer...was celebrated. Actually, the event barely raised a whisper in England, where the good man...was denied a commemorative postage stamp!” Journal of Anglican Studies, November 2009, Vol. 7, No. 02, p. 246. Just sayin’.]
But back to influence.
Beyond the legacy of creating the premier healthcare center in the Pacific, beyond her tireless promulgation of the Anglican way in the Hawaiian islands through the establishment of schools, churches, and the Cathedral of St. Andrew’s, she exerted a profound influence on western social and cultural trends.
To wit:
Hats
Parasols
Dresses
Accessories
A Renaissance queen indeed.
-- Heidi Shott
Vote!
[poll id="31"]
141 comments on “Thomas Cranmer vs. Emma of Hawaii”
I so enjoyed the graphics today...or is that because the sky is blue and bright?
Well done, Adam and Heidi.
Love the "Frozen Chosen" and the Dustbuster's prayer", not to mention the commercials. Now...Thomas needs a stamp!
Seriously, great job all round. I'm so glad our Lord has a sense of humor.
Well...George Clooney aside (or is that a-sighed!) and a hat with its own Facebook page? (See the things we learn from Lent Madness?) I'd have to vote for Cramner for thr soaringly beautiful yet appropriately humble prayers he left to the Anglican world. BUT the PAC has bitten their noses off to spite their faces...at least in my book...for the attack ad prevents me from voting for TC this round on principle. Somehow, I think that's what the archbishop would have perferred in the end.
Now...how do I friend the fascinator?
I'm leaning toward His Grace. After all, I've been to the Martyrs' Monument.
But the prospect of a free vacation in Hawaii might sway me to Her Majesty.
Just saying.
We are seriously behind in the bobblehead world. Old Lutheran has bobbleheads for both Martin Luther and Katie von Bora. I think starting with a TC bobblehead is a great idea. Perhaps, after putting out the first one, we can argue over how it is too Catholic and put out another three years later.
It's Thomas for me.
Heh.
That's very, very funny, Maggie....
😉
For all you kirschmongers out there, there is a shop in one of the Las Vegas malls that will make a bobblehead of you or anyone else given just a picture! OK LM, get on to that Cranmer thing!!!
I probably should have voted for Thomas, Book of Common Prayer and all, but three of my four great grandmothers were named Emma and they pulled on me. Go Emma!!
A Brilliantly Funny write up on Emma. "Emma-Commema..ration" all by itself gets my vote.
Emma! Emma! Emma!
Yup, just reading the prayer of humble access, made me well up. Hearing it for the first time as a very little kid made me a closet Episcopalian until I could choose for me self.
Cranmer, the BCP , the Litany, the Prayer of Humble Access, (dustbuster prayer! Love that!). How can you Not vote for Cranmer? Emma is cool, but Cranmer is so basic to the way we worship.
Don't forget! Emma and her husband Kamehameha IV were the ones who invited the Anglican church to Hawai'i! The Anglican church is the only denomination invited - the only one that didn't just arrive with missionaries. Kamehameha IV translated the Book of Common Prayer into Hawaiian so it would be more accessible to the Hawaiian speaking population - portions of which are still used in services today! No small feat! They cared about the physical, spiritual, and educational well-being of the people of Hawai'i founding Queen's Hospital, St. Andrew's Cathedral, and a variety of schools. Emma was the people's queen. Emma and Kamehameha IV went door to door raising money for the hospital. They have an everlasting impact and legacy that still touches nearly everyone in Hawai'i and those who visit the islands. Kamehameha IV is a Saint also, and he and Emma go hand in hand! Emma has my vote today!!
For more info on the Prayer Book http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Hawaii_BCP_preface.htm
So beautifully put, Aggy. Emma was the Queen for the common people of Hawai'i. Still today, no one is turned away from Queen's Hospital, thanks to the trusts put in place by Emma. She established the Priory School for Girls to allow an education for the common Hawaiian girls. She wanted the females of Hawai'i to have a future and to make a difference in leadership roles. This continues today with the outstanding education offered at the Priory School. The Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu is second to none in its beautiful, mystical, holiness. Go, EMMA, EMMA, EMMA!
Thomas Cranmer may have left us the BCP but as beautifully worded as it is (has anyone considered that he was channeling these words from a more poetic source) he was no friend of women. The wives of Henry VIII and his own, just to make a small point. And then there is this matter of his recantation even if he did take it back at death Therefore as a woman I must vote for the very good Queen Emma whose words may not go down in history but seems to have died with her integrity despite having to weigh and measure and hold varying loyalties... Is the measure of the man/woman what we say or how we live? That for me is question.
When I was growing up, that prayer was affectionately (or not) known as the "Humble Mumble."
I grew up in a Morning Prayer parish and particularly loved some of the prayers from that service -- the General Thanksgiving, the collect for peace, and my favorite, the collect for grace:
"O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Don't want to go back to Morning Prayer or to 16th Century language on Sunday. But it's beautiful.
So Emma, babe; we've had fun together but I gotta leave you and hook up with Thomas.
I'll go with the old adage: "Don't change horses in mid-stream." In addition. It will take more than George Clooney sporting a lei to sway me to Emma. She is still a wonderful role model, not only for women, but for humankind in general. But Cranmer is A of C/BCP.
Cranmer, for the BCP. Yes, he was imperfect--aren't we all? The General Thanksgiving rules! (cradle Episcopalian since 1947)
As admirable a woman as Emma seems to have been, I remain faithful to TC! I hate that these two had to go head-to-head.
Well, the voting's going as I thought it might...and I agree with every word posted so far about the beauty and importance of the BCP (I love Humble Access and the MP General Thanksgiving with all my heart) and am grateful for Cranmer's genius...but I had to vote for Emma--this one's for my beautiful baby granddaughter, of the same name! So where can I get one of those pink t-shirts?
Here you go!
http://www.zazzle.com/emmaand_proud_tshirt-235675167538933173
I don't know. Thomas Cranmer was pretty shady on The Tudors. Did I just admit I watched The Tudors?
I voted for him in this round... the BCP and all... that scene from the Tudors with his wife in the box really made me think before I voted. I don't think I'm going to be able to stick with him all the way.
yes you did and don't try to backpedal now it's too late ha-ha-ha!!!
If we are shooting for a quartet as our blogger notes in the opening paragraph, then we need our tenor! (Assuming, of course, Dietrich=bass, Mary=soprano, Margaret=alto). Go Cranmer!
How amazing is the quartet idea. I believe Emma sang tenor in the chants that she wrote! She will complete the perfect quartet! Vote EMMA!
People who are crediting (or discrediting, depending on your point of view) Bishop Fitzpatrick with influencing the Hawaii vote don't understand Hawaii. Our encouragement and support is a groundswell of all the people, who have honored and loved Queen Emma throughout our history of being Hawaii Episcopalians.
Well said, Carol!
Thanks, Heidi!
It just occurred to me that Emma's legacy is historically the "youngest" as it only goes back 150 years. (By the way, the Diocese of Hawaii is celebrating our 150 year anniversary of our founding this year, as it was in 1862 that the Anglican church arrived in Hawaii at Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV's invitation.) 150 years is a short time compared to some of those in the Lent Madness competition, which may account for her tremendous loyalty among Hawaii Episcopalians. We still have living memories.
Here is a link to a medley of Hawaiian Songs to Honor Queen Emma.
http://youtu.be/oaaIN4L0qXM
It would seem that the Hawaii vote is starting to come in and another Archbishop is heading for the door. Bishop Fitzpatrick may yet rue his activities if word gets back to England and his next invite to Lambeth Palace gets "lost in the mail".
I am a bit concerned about the actions of the SEC in the most recent voting irregularity. We Episcopalians pride ourselves on cultural sensitivity and in some cultures the term "vote early and vote often" is viewed as an election rule and not a joke. A case in point is the fact that a state trooper friend of mine told me that in the most recent election in his county only 6 dead people voted making it one of the cleanest elections in history. You see, that is a sign of election culture in some areas. In the event that the SEC detects future election issues they should investigate first if cultural issues are at play. Then prior to banishment to Lent Madness netherworld they could follow a 3 step process. First offer the offender the opportunity for confession since in the Episcopal church regarding confession we hold that all may, none must but some should and this offense seeems to fall into the some should category. This could then be followed by suitable pennance such as allowing the miscreant to purchase a case of Lent Madness mugs, extra large of course, and then earn the possibility of Lent Madness absolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_XjTdfxMts
I have to say your ads are terribly inappropriate but motivating the masses in Hawaii to respond with an approriate vote for our Holy Sovereign! Our beloved Queen would be proud of the diocese she help found and our ability to unite in times of need.
Yes, Mr. Clooney is highly attractive!
Ditto.
am I missing something here? why does every woman on the planet(except me)think that George Clooney's soooooo hot?
Tommy over mommy.
It was definitely the Clooney pic that cinched my vote for Emma.
What tremendous legacy was left to us by Emma and by Thomas ! Each legacy is tangile and functioning today!
Voting for Cranmer and the printed word. A thousand apologies to Emma.