Henry VIII after 1529 religious changes 1529-1547

Question 1

What are the arguments for the reason for the reformation?

Answer 1

Religious reasons- changing the church from catholic to protestant
Political reasons- the change from c to p was slow, and no evidence of absolute protestant triumph. Break from Rome arguably due to want for divorce rather than break from catholicism

Question 2

How far was change in religion limited up to 1536?

Answer 2

• Little impact on England’s doctrine
• Hard to argue problems with the church arose ‘from below’ as there was little wrong with the church before reformation
• Henry was reluctant to break from Rome- had to for divorce, shows he respected papal authority

Question 3

Religious changes 1529-1530

Answer 3

1529- MPs attacked ‘widespread abuses’ in the church

1530- Church charged with praemunire (withdrawn with fine payment in 1531)

Question 4

What is praemunire?

Answer 4

Putting the pope above the king

Question 5

Religious change 1532

Answer 5

• MPs asked Henry to take action against clerical abuse of legal powers
• Church had to surrender right to make new clerical laws. Clergy agreed, voted through submission of the clergy

Question 6

Act in Restraint of appeals 1533

Answer 6

Prevented appeals to pope on religious matters- act prevented catherine from appealing to pope to prevent divorce

Question 7

Act in restraint of Annates 1534

Answer 7

Banned payment of clerical taxes towards Rome. King could appoint bishops

Question 8

Act of the submission of the clergy 1534

Answer 8

King given control of convocation (church’s parliament), prevents church contact with Rome

Question 9

Act of succession 1534

Answer 9

Ends Catherine’s claim to be Henry’s wife and therefore makes Mary illegitimate. His marriage to Anne is declared legal and treason to criticise it

Question 10

March 1534 THE DISPENSATIONS ACT

Answer 10

Stopped all payments to Rome and gave the archbishop of Canterbury the right to decide all legal cases that departed from church law

Question 11

November 1534 ACT OF SUPREMACY

Answer 11

Henry has control of the church including matters of doctrine and beliefs

Question 12

December 1534 ACT FOR FIRST FRUIT AND TENTHS

Answer 12

Holders of Church jobs had to pass some money on to the king

Question 13

December 1534 TREASON ACT

Answer 13

Made it a crime to criticise changes, marriage and succession

Question 14

Were the changes 1529-34 jurisdictional, or doctrinal?

Answer 14

Jurisdictional, gave Henry legal powers over the church. Church declined in political and constitutional importance- couldn’t challenge state

Question 15

Summary of the factors that influenced religious change 1536-47

Answer 15

1536-39 appeared to see a swing towards Protestantism or a more reformed religion
1539-40 appeared to see a return to a more traditional/Catholic practices
1541-43 was a period of religious confusion
1544-47 saw a triumph of reformed faction

Question 16

reason-Henry was motivated by the desire for power

Answer 16

• powerful ego, wanted to be supreme in all matters. refusal of pope to grant divorce was opportunity
• Wanted the wealth of the church

Question 17

Henry wasn’t motivated by the desire for power

Answer 17

• Henry spent a long time trying to convince the pope for divorce (act of Ann conditional, giving pope opportunity)
• Acquisition of wealth a bonus, only with the dissolution of the greater monasteries in 1539 he gained substantially

Question 18

1536 religious developments pro ref

Answer 18

Act of dissolution of the smaller monasteries
Act of ten articles (rejected 4/7 catholic sacraments)
Royal injuctions (attacked the Catholic practice of pilgrimages and also encouraged religious instruction)

Question 19

1537 religious developments pro ref

Answer 19

BISHOPS’ BOOK kept the status of priests, mass and purgatory vague – all of these issues had been central to Catholicism and the book was perceived as reducing its importance
MATTHEW’S BIBLE (protestant version)

Question 20

1538 religious developments pro ref

Answer 20

ROYAL INJUNCTIONS ordered an English Bible to be present in all parishes within two years, discouraged pilgrimages and ordered the removal of relics

Question 21

1539 religious developments pro ref

Answer 21

publication of the GREAT BIBLE

DISSOLUTION OF GREATER MONASTERIES

Question 22

Religious developments not pro ref

Answer 22

1538- John Lambert executed for rejecting transubstantiation

1539- Act of 6 articles confirmed transubstantiation, and forbade the taking of communion in both kinds

Question 23

How did Cromwell’s influence take England down a reformist route?

Answer 23

• Appointment as VICEGERENT (1535) in religious matters,
• The BISHOPS’ BOOK (attacked many Catholic beliefs) was influenced by Cromwell although it was written by senior members of the clergy AND henry insisted it was not to be published until he read it
• Ordering of English bible to be in ever parish in 2 years

Question 24

Evidence of return to traditional religious practice 1538-43

Answer 24

• Execution of John Lambert
• Henry maintained belief in the Eucharist- limits to Cromwell’s influence
• One of the charges brought against Cromwell in his execution was his religious beliefs
• Act of 6 articles
• Married Catherine Howard (catholic father)
• 1543 act for the advancement of true religion (restricted Bible access to the upper classes)
• 1543 King’s Book (defended transubstantiation)

Question 25

Evidence of religious confusion/reformation 1539-43

Answer 25

• Henry gave protection to Cranmer against attacks by a Catholic faction
• Act for the advancement of true religion allowed English bible
• King’s Book encouraged reformed belief in preaching and attacking images

Question 26

Evidence of reformation from 1544-47

Answer 26

• ENGLISH LITANY in 1544 replaced the Catholic use of a Latin Litany
• December 1545 Act dissolving the chantries was passed, but by the time of henry’s death it had not been enforced – would have been significant in Protestant moves, represented a full-scale attack on the Catholic belief in purgatory. Happened under Edward
• Regency council appointment in 1546 saw the significant number of supporters of Protestantism
• Appointment of Protestant humanist Hohn Cheke to tutor Edward suggests Henry was moving in a protestant direction

Question 27

Evidence of catholicism 1544-47

Answer 27

1546 Henry burnt Anne Askew for denying transubstantiation -thus suggest he was still willing to uphold certain Catholic beliefs