how Protestant was England by 1547?
Cards (7)
- How Protestant was England by 1547?
- people's beliefs
- Henry's beliefs
- changes themselves (doctrine)
- people's beliefs- Regional variations- Some believe England was largely Protestant because they believed the Church in England was in bad condition on the eve of the Reformation (anti-clericalism) so were ready for change- PoG a result of other things; poor harvests in 1535-36, enclosure, complaints about scale of rents & entry fines, taxation (1534 Subsidy Act), complaints about Cromwell, supporters of Catherine of Aragon & Mary
- people's beliefs (counter)- Most people in England were still Catholic- Only 10% of people in London & Kent were Protestant in 1547- Most were still happy with the church and did not welcome change- Most changes were legal, not doctrinal, up till 1536- Act of Six Articles (1539) reversed changes moving towards Protestant direction- Legally, England was not Protestant & key Catholic beliefs (eg. transubstantiation) still upheld by Henry- PoG a result of religious changes, demands made to end Royal Supremacy & attack heretics
- Henry's beliefs- Marriage to Protestant Anne of Cleves & Catherine Parr- Allowed Catherine Parr to not be executed if she promised to believe & follow whatever her wanted- Had broken with the papacy – Act of Supremacy (1534)- Wrote in will that his heirs (the monarch) would always be Supreme Head of the Church of England- Appointed Protestant John Cheke as tutor to Edward- Largely Protestant Regency Council appointed 1546- Execution of Catherine Howard- Fall of Gardiner & Norfolk (Gardiner involved in plot agst. Parr & was executed over refusal to grant some lands to the king; Norfolk arrested & almost executed, had Henry not died before signing death warrant)- Henry wanted balance, not one dominating faction
- Henry's beliefs (counter)- Marriage to Catholic Catherine Howard- Said to have died clutching a rosary- 1546 – Anne Askew burnt for denying transubstantiation- 1538 – John Lambert executed for denying transubstantiation- Wanted to avoid domination of one group – wanted to maintain religious balance- STOPPED attempted attack on Thomas Cranmer- STOPPED attempted attack on Catherine Parr- Henry wanted balance, not one dominating faction
- changes themselves (doctrine)- Dissolution of the monasteries- English Litany (1544)- English Bible (1539) although access limited until 1543- Pilgrimages forbidden- Greater emphasis on preaching & sermon, Lord’s Prayer, Creed & Ten Commandments (taught to children in English)- Number of holy days reduced
- changes themselves/doctrine (counter)- Catholic belief in transubstantiation upheld at mass- Clergy not allowed to marry- Catholic sacraments of confirmation, marriage, holy orders & extreme unction restored- Need to do good works for salvation restored- Masses for the souls of the dead could be sung (although no statement on the existence of purgatory)- Laity had to make regular confessions of their sins- Paintings & statues restored, as well as many processions & rituals