A2 FP1 : Impact of Religious Developments in the Early Years : Religious Settlement Flashcards
Aims
What were Elizabeth’s aims for the religious settlement?
Elizabeth hoped that the religious settlement would calm the tensions that had been growing since Henry VIII and avoid religious warfare.
Impact on the clergy and government
How many Clergy lost or resigned their offices due to their refusal to take the Oath of Loyalty (1559)? What was the significance of this?
Around 400 of the clergy lost or resigned their livings because they would not accept the settlement - all but one of the Marian Bishops refused.
- Compared to the 800 protestants which fled during Mary’s reign, the scale of refusal between 1559 and 1563 was minimal.
- It also allowed for the appointment of new moderate Bishops, such as Matthew Parker, allowing Elizabeth to build a clerical leadership that was enthusiastic to her reforms.
Impact on the Clergy and Government
Despite the majority of the clergy accepting the oath of loyalty, what was a negative reprecussion which rose out of this?
A negative reprecussion was that some ministers simply ignored the New Book fo Common Prayer and stuck to the traditional form of Catholic Worship.
A survey conducted in 1564 concluded that only half of all ministers could be trusted to actively support the settlement.
Impact at home
What aspect of the settlement were some of the strongest reactions to?
Some of the strongest reactions in England were to the financial side of the settlement and the issue of what priests wore.
Impact at home
Why is the claim that some 2000 clergymen were deprived of their livings after refusing the oath of loyalty most certainly an overestimation?
Some historians claim that some 2000 clergymen were deprived if their livings, this is most certainly an overestimation. The disappereance of relevant records, the reluctance to deprive too many clergy because of the difficulty replacing them and the higher interest in commissioners in more important members of the clergy (Bishops, Deans e.t.c) make it impossible to estimate how many parish men were deprived of their offices.
Foreign reactions to the settlement
What was the reaction of the Council of Trent to the Elizabethan Settlement?
The Council of Trent (1545, 1563) was a congregation of Europe’s leading catholics which discussed the future of the church. They often produced hardline decrees against protestantism. Some members wanted Elizabeth to be excommunicated as punishment.
Foreign Reactions to the settlement
What was Elizabeth’s main concern about how the rest of Europe would react to the settlement?
Elizabeth was concerned at the threat of either or both France and Spain attacking England. However France was absorbed in a civil war and Spain did not believe the changes to be permanent.
Impact at home
How did protestant exiles view Elizabeth - how did this differ from her own views?
- Protestant exiles initially saw the queen as the “English Deborah”, the old-testament heroine and protector of the Israelites. By analogy, Elizabeth was a crusader against Catholicism.
- However, Elizabeth was often a reluctant Deborah and many religious problems throughout the reign stemmed from Elizabeth’s unwillingness to fulfil the role alloted to her by her more religiously enthusiastic councillors.
- Her most enthusiastic supporters were often the most protestant - it ensured their loyalty to her but put them at oods with her rather conservative approach to religious matters.
Impact on government
What was the Queen’s view on the settlement vs her councillors?
The Queen’s view was that the settlement was merely an act of state which defined the relationship between Crown and Church and it established the church’s doctrinal position conclusively.
Others, such as Cecil and Dudley, believed that the settlement represented the starting point for a process of spiritual renewal - and from this puritanism emerged.
Impact at home
What did “an apology of the Church of England” (1562) John Jewel argue about the Church of England?
John Jewel argued that the Church of England was becoming the true church that had been abandoned by Rome centuries ago and that there was an essential continuity between the early church and the beliefs of the reformers.
Impact at home
What freedom was given to Catholics?
Catholics could carry out services in private, but they had to monitored by the government.
Impact at Home
What was a negative reprecussion of Catholic mass becoming an offence?
Catholic mass was seen as a serious offence and therefore became a symbol of opposition (Northern Earls Rebellion).
Impact at Home
What was a negative reprecussion of the 1559 Royal Injunctions?
As a result of the 1559 Royal Injunctions there was a great deal of destruction of catholic and other religious artefacts as well as the displacement of 400 clergy.
Impact at Home
What was the fine for missing Church - what was the negative impact of this?
The fine for missing church was a shilling per week, this negatively affected poorer Catholics.
Impact at home and in government
What was the problem created by Elizabeth’s moderate reforms?
It put her at odds with the puritans who believed she should pursue harshed reforms. This created discontent within government.
