It is impossible to overestimate the contributions of Thomas Cranmer for defining the theology and worship of the newly formed Church of England. He not only wrote the Book of Common Prayer, but he also wrote Anglican's confession (the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion), the Ordinal (ordination services for bishops, priests and deacons), and four of the first book of 12 Homilies.

The book made Hays a darling among conservative evangelical Christians who opposed LGBTQ acceptance in their churches and the broader culture and frequently cited Hays' work in debates.

Back in 1918, the Dean of Canterbury, Henry Wace, recognized the potential problem. As the Church of England shifted toward making holy communion the principal Sunday service, problems arose. Among these was the belief (in Wace's words) "that intimate contact with Christ is only to be obtained through the channel of the sacraments." Indeed, such teaching could leave the impression that corporate worship could not occur without sacramental observance.

In his High Priestly Prayer just before his crucifixion he announced, "My hour has come" (Jn 17:1). Jesus didn't primarily come to leave us an example for us to follow or a deposit of helpful advice for Christian living; he came to die as our substitute the death we sinners deserve to die. From creation itself, all of human history led up to the cross - this moment - this word.