Henry VIII Religion

Dissolution of the Monasteries

(1536-1541) Under the authority of Henry VIII, the administrative and legal disbanding of the monasteries, appropriating their income and disposing of their assets.

Sir Thomas More

(Chancellor 1529 to 1532) opposed Henry's divorce and the Succession Act that made Mary illegitimate. Arrested by Cromwell for allegedly not accepting Henry as Head of Church

Pressure on the Clergy and Pope prt 2

1533: Pressurised Pope by i) Act of Parliament preventing Annates (clergy tax) to be paid to Pope, ii) replacement of dead traditional Archbishop Warham with reforming and Protestant sympathiser Cranmer, iii) Act in Restraint of Appeals denying subjects right to appeal to the Pope

Royal Supremacy Act

1534, suggested King always held right to be Head of Church, but was now using it.

Treason Act

1534, that made denial of royal supremacy punishable by death.

Pilgramige of Grace

1536 started when townspeople of Lough in Lincolnshire feared that Cromwell was to strip their church and monastery whilst increasing taxes. The rebellion amassed 40,000 protestors (known as pilgrims) led by Robert Aske and requested i) removal of Cromwell and ii) repeal of Statute of Uses (inheritance tax).

Ten Articles of Faith

1536, established Christian quietness and unity. Included Lutheran ideas including gaining salvation by faith, but also Catholic views such as wording of the Eucharist. Two injunctions ordered clergy to follow and explain Articles to congregation

Bishop's book

1537 attacked abuses and superstitions associated with Church and encouraged Protestant reform

Six Articles

1539 Defined the doctrine of the English Church - followed Catholic teaching other than papal supremacy & rejected Protestant beliefs

Pressure on the Clergy and Pope prt 1

Between 1529 and 1533 Henry pressurised Clergy to get a divorce by i) charging 15 clergy with Praemunire (support of Pope over King), ii) forcing them to see him as Supreme Head of the Church (but Henry wanted Sole Protector

Reformation Stalemate 1547 Catholic

Catholic success through: 1. Six Articles (1539) enforcing beliefs about Eucharist , seven sacraments of Catholic Church essential for salvation, priest celibacy (re-imposed in 1540). Execution of Protestant leaning Cromwell (1540) for failure to promote Six Articles, failed marriage with Anne of Cleves (1540),

Effects of dissolution

Dissolution made up 10% of the kingdom's wealth in 1530s, which would finance foreign policy, but inflation made value less. Mass sale of land at market value, with little given to nobility, so Henry could not rely on the rent and taxes they could have generated. Benefitted Protestants as stronghold of Catholicism was beyond repair as buildings ransacked for their wealth.

Tyndales Bible

First English Bible published in 1538 in every Church by Cranmer.

Reformation Stalemate 1547 Protestantism

Protestants persecuted (1540-47) but not extinguished. Cranmer remained as Archbishop even after being accused of Protestant heresy (1543). Marriage to Protestant Parr who influenced heirs Edward and Elizabeth in Protestant teachings Country entirely separate from Pope's control.. Bibles (1539 Great Bible) was still available in English and limited reforms against worship of saints, pilgrimages and saints days.

Influence of Anne

encouraged Henry to appoint Latimer and Shaxton (previously accused as heretics in 1531) to bishop posts, and Cranmer as Archbishop in 1532.

Cardinal Wolsey

the English Archbishop, he worked on behalf of Henry VIII to get papal approval for his annulment to Catherine of Aragon, but failed to get any more than a hearing in Rome. 1473-1530