Religion ideas & reform

Question 1

What are the 4 components of intellectual & religious change under Henry VIII

Answer 1

• Renaissance
• Humanism
• Protestantism
• Catholicism

Question 2

What was the renaissance?

Answer 2

• European cultural rebirth
• 14th - 17th centuries
• Based on rediscovery of Roman & Greek ancient literature
• Henry VIII seen as renaissance prince, promoting Thomas More & Erasmus

Question 3

What is Humanism?

Answer 3

• Belief in improvement of humanity through education
• ## Henry promoted Humanist thinkers & education developed e.g. St Pauls School under John Colet, Magdalen college, Oxford followed ideas of Plato

Question 4

What did humanism & the renaissance influence in England?

Answer 4

• Classical learning amongst elites increased
• Henry needed renaissance diplomats who could communicate with European powers to show England as sophisticated
• Humanism influenced education

Question 5

Give examples of classical learning among the Royalty?
(3 things)

Answer 5

• John Cheke (humanist) tutored Prince Edward
• Roger Ascham tutored Princess Elizabeth
• Katherine Parr had humanist education

Question 6

Who were key renaissance thinkers in England?
(4 names)

Answer 6

1. Thomas More (Lord Chancellor 1530-32), thinker & writer
2. Pietro Torrigiano (sculptor, tombs of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York)
3. Hans Holbein (painter)
4. Cardinal Wolsey - build Hampton court in Renaissance style

Question 7

What 3 categories made the Catholic church unpopular?

Answer 7

• Corruption
• Anti-clericalism
• Scandals

Question 8

Explain corruption in the Catholic Church?

Answer 8

1. Pluralism: receiving profits from more than one office
2. Simony: purchase & sale of Church office
3. Absenteeism: receiving profits from one post when not there

• Cardinal Wolsey was guilty of all of these
• Wealth of Clergy was a stark contrast to the poor

Question 9

Explain anti-clericalism towards the Catholic Church?

Answer 9

• Opposition to the social-political powers of clergy
• Common lawyers objected to canon law (Church law) & Clergy’s legal privileges
• Anger towards Clergymen having wives, mistresses, children, drunkards, low levels of religious education
• Arguably anticlericalism was a consequence of the Reformation vs a cause

Question 10

Explain scandals in the Catholic Church?

Answer 10

• Murder of Richard Hunne (1514)
• London Merchant found hung dead in Bishop of London prison
• Hunne had been imprisoned (refused to pay mortuary fee when child died)
• Coroner argued it was murder
• Reputation of the Church damaged
• Case was brought to Parliament, Wolsey had to kneel & beg for forgiveness (embarrassing)

Question 11

What book encompassed the weaknesses of the Catholic Church?

Answer 11

• Simon Fish’s Supplication of the Beggars (1529)

Question 12

Church reform under Wolsey?
(6 things)

Answer 12

• Wolsey secured dissolution of 20 monasteries (1520s) to fund Cardinal College, Oxford
• Wolsey called Bishops to be rigorous in inspection of religious houses
• 1528: plans to abolish monasteries with less than 6 monks & merge those with less than 12
• Removed 8 monastery heads due to ‘unsuitability’
• Promoted education of the clergy & increase universities & schools
• Helped Henry VIII write ‘Defender of the faith’ which attacked Lutheranism

Question 13

What can Wolsey’s Church reforms be described as?

Answer 13

• Contradictory
• Wolsey entertained, absenteeism, pluralism & simony

Question 14

Evidence of early English Protestantism?

Answer 14

• Little evidence of Protestantism following Martin Luther’s 95 thesis (1517)
• Though began to reach England (1520s) by merchants into South-East ports
• Recorded public burnings of 17 thesis
• William Tynedale started to translate Bible into English
• Cambridge protestants (1520s) met for protestant discussion at the White Horse
• Leading figure was Robert Barnes converted to Protestantism by Thomas Bilney (Both burned at the stake later in reign)
• Most influential member of group was Thomas Cranmer (later Archbishop)