Religion

• Religious Situation 1558

  • Elizabeth introduced religious settlement 1559
  • Child of 2nd marriage
  • Illegitimate in Catholic Church
  • Catholic ready-made queen
  • Mary Queen of Scots
  • ~800 Protestants returned 1558
  • Formed united group
  • Willingness to die for beliefs contrasted with prior
  • Personal dislike of Puritans
  • Not a major consideration
  • Small number
  • European situation:
  • Strength of Catholicism
  • French war
  • Rule by widowed Philip
  • Order of importance:
  • Catholics in England
  • Protestant in England
  • European religious views
  • Her own beliefs
  • Puritans in England
• Elizabeth's Personal Beliefs

  Protestant:

  • Educated by leading humanists
  • Lived in Protestant households
  • Elizabeth was a piety in Edward’s reign and a heretic in Mary’s
  • No bread or wine was consecrated during her coronation
  • Christmas Day 1558, walked out when bishop raised consecrated bread in mass
  • 1558, Elizabeth’s privy council was dominated by Protestants

  Catholic:

  • Had crucifixes and candles in private chapel
  • Opposed married clergymen, particularly bishops
  • Liked vestments and hymns to have choir boys and organ
  • Disliked long sermons and theological debates