Parliament's Re-ordering of the Church, 1640-60 Flashcards
What did the Root and Branch Petition demand?
Dec 1640 - Abolition of episcopacy - signed by 15,000 in City of London.
In protest of:
- The treatment of the clergy
- Restrictions on preaching
- Encouragement of Arminian and Catholic ideas
Why did the Long Parliament have mixed success in reforming religion?
Strength of and depth of opposition - not least from Puritans - meant they:
1) Could force Charles to remove bishops from Privy Council
2) Could pass bill excluding them from Lords
Influence limited - failed in their attempt to abolish episcopacy
What is episcopacy?
Govt of a church by bishops
What was more significant than religious reform by the Long Parliament?
The signing of the Covenant with the Scots in 1643
Why was there limited support for a Presbyterian Church?
1) Limited support for change - even among conservative Puritans
What did the signing of the Covenant with the Scots lead to?
Discussions over possibly establishing the Presbyterian Church in England - reached no firm conclusions
1) Assembly of Clergy - set up by Pym - to meet in Westminster - draw up model to be established
2) Didn’t accept and implement the Scottish version straightaway
3) Covenant worked as a delaying tactic
When did the new Assembly - set up by Pym - meet?
1644 - but not until 1645 that parliament officially resolved to adopt a Presbyterian model.
Why did members of Parliament fall out with each?
Puritans, Presbyterians, independents and radical all argued about the best way forward - given that, in 1646, they were committed to getting rid of episcopacy
Why was the ‘Apologetical Narration’?
Westminster Assembly - in 1644 - thought it would be easy to set up Presbyterian Church to create ‘godly society’
But 5 members presented an ‘Apologetical Narration’ - appealed for right to establish independent churches outside the national establishment
What did the ‘Apologetical Narration’ set a precedent of?
Of creating pockets of independence outside the mainstream Church movements - which the authorities would never really be able to control
Where proved to be the breeding ground for new radical ideas? Why?
The New Model Army
- Normal methods of control within society limited during Civil War - created a fertile environment for creation and sharing of new ideas
What did the New Model Army attempt to establish?
A national Presbyterian Church - dangerous because it was highly mobile - picked up ideas from East Anglia and Lincolnshire
How did the presence of the New Model Army stimulate and embolden existing religious groups and encourage further conversions?
1) The army moved rapidly around the country after the Battle of Naseby - mopping up Royalist resistance.
2) Army chaplains - such as John Canne in Hull - set up new congregations
3) Others simply encouraged new ideas and conversions
How did Presbyterian leaders in parliament react to the radicalism of the New Model Army?
Tried to push back - but this was counter-productive and made the situation worse
What did the attempt to disband the army in 1647 lead to?
1) Politicisation of the New Model Army
2) End of any hopes for a national Presbyterian Church
3) King’s enemies squabbling with one another strengthened his resolve - led to renewal of Civil War in 1648
4) Civil War led to Pride’s Purge - and Charles’s execution
What did the king’s death, in 1649, spark?
A new and even more dangerous wave of radical ideas of groups
- These new ideas rejected any external authority over the conscience of individuals and demanded complete religious toleration for all - unlike the independents and Baptists
What are Baptists?
Starting in early 17th century - a Baptist Church became identifiable as it carried out the practice of ‘believer’s baptism’ - where a person could only be baptised if they were able to understand and profess their beliefs - usually as an adult
- Infant baptism seen as unnecessary
What was the impact of radical groups after 1649?
1) Provoked conservative reaction - intense and widespread
2) Blasphemy Act 1650 - subjected radical religious activity to serve penalties
3) More eccentric groups short-lived - prone to internal dissent - dying out with the death or imprisonment of inspiring leaders
4) Quaker movement spread rapidly in the North in 1650-52 - under George Fox - sent out preachers to convert other areas in 1654
What happened after fighting in Ireland and Scotland ceased?
1) Many soldiers returned to civilian lives
2) More extreme of those who remained subject to discipline or forced to resign in a series of purges - carried out by the Council of Officers
How did more independent Churches arise after 1649?
1) Sympathy for godly men - who desired toleration of their own Churches - didn’t mean complete freedom of worship (too radical and dangerous)
2) Independent ministers - such as John Goodwin and Phillip Nye - helped write ‘Apologetical Narration’ - determined to maintain right of congregations to govern themselves - otherwise said they were very much in line with Presbyterian majority
Why was their widespread desire for a restoration of religious and social discipline after the war?
Due to regicide and the many upheavals that followed.
What were Cromwell’s 3 aims when he took power after the dissolution of the Rump and failure of the Barebones Parliament?
1) to reform govt
2) to help build a godly society
3) to encourage a ‘reformation of manners’ - ensuring that people adhered to the word of God and lived morally virtuous lives
His preference was for sensible compromise
Who were the Triers and Ejectors?
Two committees of ministers who controlled the Church - role was to ensure that ministers who served in it were competent, well-educated and capable of preaching the word of God.
- Ignored parish boundaries - drew members from a wide area
Therefore - Calvinist sects able to meet and worship outside Church with relative impunity
How did the Triers and Ejectors benefit Presbyterian and moderate Anglican ministers?
They found employment.
