Henry VIII The Church on the eve of the Reformation

Question 1

Parish Churches and Chapels

Answer 1

-Support for Parish Churches remained high, large numbers of Churches and Chapels were built between 1409 and 1529 with significant donations provided by the public

-Significant sums were left in Parishioners’ wills for the purpose of furnishing Parish Churches

Question 2

Images

Answer 2

-Until the 1530s three dimensional representations of God or saints continued to be widely utilised as aids to prayers

-Nethertheless, some criticism of Pilgrimages and the apparent readiness of local communities to accept Iconoclasm suggests a lack of enthusiasm for images

Question 3

Secular Clergy

Answer 3

The clergy were generally respected , although elements of hostility were evident in the South-East

Question 4

The Papacy

Answer 4

Most people accepted the Pope’s power. Dissent did exist but it was limited to small groups especially in the South East

Question 5

Sacraments and rituals

Answer 5

These remained largely popular and this is seen by the high levels of attendance of mass

Question 6

Religious guilds

Answer 6

In several areas these seem to have remained not only numerous but active, prosperous and locally supported. They were left money in wills by a large percentage of people

Question 7

Religious orders

Answer 7

Support for religious orders clearly survived but there is evidence of a slight decline in respect and enthusiasm eg. a fall in the number of new abbeys, priories and frieries built