Hugh Latimer (1490?-1555), the most illustrious preacher of the English Reformation, believed preaching was indispensable to Christianity. Perhaps no preacher in England in Latimer’s era believed in the need for preaching in the church and the importance of preaching for the furtherance of reform as he.

Latimer was born in Thurcaston in Leicestershire, England, to yeoman stock. In spite of his status in society, Latimer’s father kept him in school, allowing the educational foundation he would need for his ministry. Raised a Catholic, Latimer was a strong supporter of the old order in his early years. The one whom critics later said had disseminated more heresies than Luther was, in his own words, “as obstinate a papist as any was in England.”1 However, because of the testimony of Thomas Bilney (d. 1531), Latimer converted to reform.

Almost immediately, Latimer began disseminating reformation doctrines and condemning the Roman Church in his sermons. Throughout his early reforming career, he devoted himself to the restoration of preaching through the elimination of the corrupt ecclesiastical practices that had become so prevalent in his day.

Initially, the political environment was favorable to Latimer’s preaching; however, the adoption of “The Six Articles” in 1539 caused a shift in that climate. This new situation resulted in Latimer’s resignation from his bishopric and a period of eight years of silence, the last year and a half spent in the Tower of London. However, when Henry VIII died and Edward VI took the throne, the political climate became favorable once again, and Latimer was released from the Tower. On 1 January 1548, Latimer’s silence ended as he mounted the outdoor pulpit of Paul’s Cross and delivered his first sermon in eight years to Edward VI and a throng of eager listeners. Thereafter, Latimer was in high demand. Often called upon to preach at critical moments in the history of the English church, Latimer’s prolific preaching ministry earned him the title “Apostle to the English,” and, until his martyrdom by Queen Mary, he preached reform.

Latimer was a riveting preacher. Through rhetorical creativity and dynamic delivery, all spoken in colloquial language, Latimer drew congregations into the proclamation of the Word.  On some occasions, Latimer would even employ daring communication tricks, such as pulling a deck of cards from his garment, in order to communicate his point. But Latimer’s success was only partially due to his effective delivery. More central to his success was his homiletic, which placed emphasis upon the person of the preacher, the content of preaching, and one particular aim in preaching.