Stranger churches

The first Stranger Church to be set up in England was that led by the Italian reformer, Bernardino Ochino in 1547 (Cranmer's permission coming in January 1548).

Cranmer made it quite clear that this was an example of how he wanted the reformation in England to proceed by forcing the traditionalist Bishop Edmund Bonner to attend Ochino's inaugural sermon.

To the dismay of bishop of London Nicholas Ridley, the fully independent congregations - from now known as one Stranger's Church received a royal charter and was incorporated by letters patent on 24 July 1550.

For the new community he wrote two fundamental writings - Confessio Londinensis, containing principles of faith, and Forma ac ratio, containing structure and rites.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, they helped Cranmer and his allies in the suppression of heretical strains of religion, such as the non-Trinitarian George van Parris.