Edward VI: Religious change Flashcards
Describe the religious position of England that Edward inherited.
Somerset had inherited a divided church as KHVIII had caused religious chaos in order to solve his ‘great matter’.
How extreme was Somerset as a religious reformer?
Somerset was only a moderate reformer, and his ideas and beliefs were in line with those in the Regency Council.
Outline the Chantries Act.
The 1547 Chantries Act was passed which was a continuation of KHVIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Although it was a money-making scheme to fund ongoing battles with Scottland, it also served to attack the Catholic doctrine of purgatory.
Outline the repeal of the Act of Six Articles and its impact.
In December of 1547, the Act of Six Articles (1539) was repealed. This was established by KHVIII and established key Catholic doctrines. By repealing this, the church had been left without an official doctrine.
From this point until the release of the first prayer book, there was some religious instability due to absence of an official doctrine. In 1548, a series of proclamations were issued to dampen unrest. For example, it was stated that transubstantiation (a Catholic notion) was technically still in force.
Outline the first Act of Uniformity.
In January 1549, the Act of Uniformity was passed, making the Book of Common Prayer the official liturgy. This was effectively enforced.
Outline the first Book of Common Prayer.
The Book of Common Prayer was revealed in December 1548 and became law under the Act of Uniformity 1549. It was only moderately Protestant and was designed to be politically acceptable. However, this was not successful as it satisfied neither Catholics nor Protestants. Catholics thought it was too Protestant, and Protestants thought it was too Catholic.
How extreme was Northumberland as a religious reformer?
Northumberland was far more radical. It could be argued that Northumberland was only radical to gain the support of Edward who was very radical himself.
List key religious reforms made by Northumberland.
-Northumberland ordered the widespread removal of altars, and for them to be replaced by communion tables in 1550.
- A treason act was introduced making it illegal to question the supremacy or any religious beliefs of the Church.
Outline the second Act of Uniformity.
In March 1552, the second Act of Uniformity was introduced which brought various Protestant reforms and rejected certain Catholic practices.
Outline the second Book of Common Prayer.
The second Book of Common Prayer was very radical and became the basis of church service. It included a clear denial of transubstantiation and there was no mention of sacraments.
Outline the Forty-Two Articles of Religion.
Thomas Cranmer released the Forty-Two Articles of Religion in June 1553. They defined the essentials of the Church of England and confirmed the firmly reformed path of the church. However, the king’s death just a few weeks after this release meant that this policy was never implemented properly.
