Policies - Edward

Question 1

When was the Act of 6 Articles repealed and what did this mean?

Answer 1

1547

• The removal of Henry’s more Catholic Act effectively left the English Church without an official doctrine
• But later official proclamations supported transubstantiation (whilst Cranmer worked on the new prayer book)

Question 2

When was the First Prayer Book introduced and what was it?

Answer 2

1548

• Essentially a fudge by Archbishop Cranmer
• Eucharist: - supported transubstantiation & therefore Cath position
• Prot ideas = services in English, clerical marriage allowed, no prayers for dead (anti-purgatory)
• Mixed = 5 sacraments (Eucharist, baptism, last rites, conformation, marriage [no penance]). No clear position on purgatory. Worship of saints discouraged, but not banned
• Cath = transubstantiation, traditional robes worn by priests, fasts & holy days remained

Question 3

When was the Act of Uniformity and what was it?

Answer 3

1549
Supported by 1549 Act of Uniformity enforcing use of the First Prayer Book
Further proclamations in 1549 support the destruction of images

Question 4

When was the Second Prayer Book and what was it?

Answer 4

1552
- Gives the Church a clearly Protestant service
Eucharist - est Calvanist ‘spiritual presence only’ position. Eucharist called the Lord’s Supper. Sign of cross banned
Altars replaced by communion tables (for eating not ‘sacrificing’). Prayers for dead ended, priest’s vestments banned
- Radical Prots still opposed kneeling at Communion (which they suggested was worshiping the ‘host’ i.e. bread & wine). ‘Black Rubric’ inserted to state kneeling didn’t mean people were showing respect, not worshipping the bread & wine

Question 5

When was the Second Act of Uniformity and when was it?

Answer 5

1552

Supported Cranmer’s Second Prayer Book & made it an offence to not attend church

Question 6

When was the Forty Two Articles and what were they?

Answer 6

1553

• Although issued, don’t become law due to Edward’s death. Later form the basis for Elizabeth’s 39 Articles
  Eucharist: explicitly denies both transubstantiation & Christ’s bodily presence in the bread & wine = Calvanist position
• Articles back the idea of justification by faith alone and partly embraces the idea of Calvin’s predestination.
• Whilst Church doctrine had changed, no real evidence the fundamental beliefs of the great mass of people had changed. Probably still 80%+ of population fundamentally cath in religious thought