Who was Bishop Andrewes? Bishop Andrewes Church is named after Lancelot Andrewes. He was an English bishop and scholar. Andrewes held high positions in the Church of England. This was during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.
During James I’s reign, Andrewes was very busy. He served as Bishop of Chichester, Ely and Winchester. He oversaw the translation of the King James Version of the Bible. The Church of England remembers him on September 25. They have a lesser festival.
Lancelot Andrewes was born in 1555. He was near All Hallows, Barking, by the Tower of London. His father, Thomas, was master of Trinity House. Andrewes went to the Cooper’s free school. It was in Ratcliff in Stepney parish. Later, he attended Merchant Taylors’ School. His academic skills grew quickly. Jesus College, Oxford named him as a founding scholar in 1571. He was elected fellow of Pembroke College in 1576. William Chaderton ordained him a priest in 1580.
Andrewes learned many languages. Once a year, he spent a month with his parents. During this time, he found a master. He learned a language he did not know before. After a few years, he knew most of the modern languages of Europe. Andrewes’s elder brother was Roger Andrewes. Roger also helped translate the King James Version of the Bible.
In 1588, Andrewes became vicar of St Giles, Cripplegate. He gave striking sermons on temptation and the Lord’s Prayer. On April 10, 1588, he defended the Church of England. He praised John Calvin.
Andrewes was not a Calvinist. He did not repeat Calvinist slogans. He criticized Calvinist ideas in his sermons. Some called him an avant-garde conformist. He opposed the Geneva translation of the Bible.
Francis Walsingham helped Andrewes become prebendary of St Pancras. This was in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1589. He also became master of Pembroke College. From 1589 to 1609, he was prebendary of Southwell. In 1590, he preached before Elizabeth I. He gave his introductory lecture at St Paul’s. It was about the first four chapters of Genesis.
Andrewes joined a society of antiquaries. Members included Walter Raleigh and Philip Sidney. Elizabeth I did not promote him. He opposed using church money for other things. In 1598, he declined bishoprics because of conditions. In 1600, he preached a sermon on justification. In 1601, he became Dean of Westminster.
When plague came in 1603, he taught at Chiswick. He preached about leaving London. He said the plague came from “new meats” and “new fashions”. He condemned changes in Christian tradition.
When James I became king, Andrewes gained favor. He helped at James I’s coronation. In 1604, he attended the Hampton Court Conference.
Andrewes led the group that translated the first books of the Old Testament. He was like a general editor for the project.
In 1605, he became Bishop of Chichester. He was also made Lord High Almoner. After the Gunpowder Plot, he wrote a sermon for the king in 1606. In 1609, he wrote “Tortura Torti”. He argued against Bellarmine. In 1617, he went to Scotland with James I. He wanted to persuade the Scots to accept Episcopacy. In 1619, he became Bishop of Winchester.
After his death in 1626, he was buried in St Saviour’s Church. It is now Southwark Cathedral. His monument was moved behind the high altar.
Richard Crashaw wrote about Andrewes. He called him a setting sun. Andrewes was friends with Hugo Grotius. He is known for his preaching. He was an Anglican. He was against Puritan and Roman ideas.
His position on the Eucharist was mature. He allowed adoration. He maintained the terms “sacrifice” and “altar”. Andrewes preached about the Divine Right of Kings.
His life was written by Alexander Whyte. His best-known work is “Preces Privatae”. It has been in print since the 19th century. T. S. Eliot was influenced by Andrewes. Kurt Vonnegut called him “the greatest writer in the English language”.
He has an academic cap named after him. A block of flats is named Andrewes House. There is a stained glass window of him in Grays Inn Chapel.
Bishop Andrewes Church was built in 1932. Geddes Hyslop designed it. It has a central tower. It has pointed arches in reinforced concrete. The sanctuary is at the east end. A new vestry is in the north aisle. A hall takes up the transepts. Sliding doors allow for expansion. The west end has a small hall and kitchen.
Bishop Andrewes Church is a place to find community. It is a place where Jesus is the heart of the estate.