Religion

• Two key aspects of deciding the country's religion:

  • Legal status of the Church
  • The liturgical books in Church services
• Legal status of the Church unaltered by Mary's death.

  * Questions on the status of the church came with the accession of Elizabeth
• THE SETTLEMENT... In 1559 created a middle between Catholicism and Protestantism.

  • Elizabeth and council wasn't clear about their intentions.
  • April 1559, passes supremacy bill easily through the House of Commons.
• What were Elizabeth I's religious beliefs?

  • Lived as a protestant, educated by humanists
  • Shown by 1588 privy council being dominated by Protestants
• What sort of Church did Elizabeth want?

  • Protestant doctrine with Catholic structures
  • Spiritual preferences of Calvinism
  • Break from religious repression, ensured loyalty from politically-active classes
  • Avoided social upheaval and reassured Catholic powers of minimal Church change.
  • Make church acceptable to the majority.
• What were the 3 aspects of Elizabeth's religion:

  • Act of Supremacy, restored Henry's laws such as for heresy.
  • Act of Uniformity, unified book of common prayer.
  • Royal injunctions of 1559.
• ACT OF SUPREMACY 1559:

  • Restored royal supremacy
  • Rejected papal supremacy (restored by Mary w/ statute law)
  • Gave Elizabeth the title of Supreme governor.
  • Revoked heresy acts and papal supremacy.
  • New punishments for not using prayer book.
• OVERALL THE ACT OF SUPREMACY...

  • Restored legal position of the crown and gave legislative authority for the Crown regarding the Church.
• THE ACT OF UNIFORMITY - 1559

  • Designated use of single book of Common Prayer
  • Designated use of the second one, more Protestant (introduced 1552 by Cranmer).
• Modifications from the Act of Uniformity in 1559:

  • Eucharist belief altered in 1559, allowed both religious interpretations.
  • Black rubric excluded.
• The 1559 Royal Injunctions:

  • Criticised traditional practice including pilgrimages
  • Preaching needed a license
  • Asked to report heretics to the privy council/JP's
  • Parish Churches required to buy English bibles
• Significance of Elizabeth's settlement:

  • Queen faced pressure from radical clergymen and allies in House of Commons "puritan choir"