Religious Settlement

• What was the Religious Settlement 1559?

  Establishing a compromise of Protestantism that Catholics could accept
• What were the features of the Settlement?

  • Act of Supremacy
  • Act of Uniformity
  • Royal Injunctions
• What was the Act of Supremacy?

  Made Elizabeth supreme Governor of the Church of England

  • All clergy and royal officials had to swear an oath of loyalty to her
• What was the Act of Uniformity?

  Established the appearance of Churches and form of services they held

  • Clergy had to use the wording of the Book of Common Prayer (deliberately unclear so it would appeal to both Catholics and Protestants)
  • Everyone had to attend Church on Sunday (fined for absence)
  • Priest wore special clothing
• What were Royal Injunctions?

  Set on instructions which reinforced the Acts

  • Those not attending Church would be reported to the Privy Council
  • Clergy wore special vestments
  • Each parish had to have one Bible copy
• How was the Religious settlement enforced?

  Visitations:

  • Inspections of churches and clergy
• How many clergy were dismissed in 1559 due to visitations?

  400
• How often did visitations take place?

  Every 3 to 4 years
• How many Priests and Clergy took the oath?

  8000
• How did Churches look?

  • Allowed images - helped them keep familiar look and changes not be unsettling
  • Painted walls and stained glass windows in Catholic Churches
  • Plain protestant churches
• What was the role of the Church?

  • Church courts: dealt with marriage issues, sexual offences and slander, wills and inheritance
  • Preached Government's message
  • Provided guidance for communities
  • Visitations
  • Legitimised Elizabeth's rule
• Challenge: Crucifix

  Elizabeth wanted to keep the crucifix but many clergymen and bishops refused to do this. She did not have enough trained Protestant clergy to replace them so she backed down but kept the crucifix in her own Royal Chapel.
• Challenge: Vestments

  Archbishop of Canterbury advertised an exhibition of vestments which all Priests had to attend. Only 37 refused and resigned so vestments stayed
• Challenge: Catholics

  1566: Pope issued instructions not to attend Church so the Government introduced recusancy fines and imprisonment for those not attending. Did not want close inspections of recusants as she didn't want them to be seen as martyrs.