The Church of England, 1640-62

Question 1

What measures were introduced to reform the Church of England, from 1643?

Answer 1

• The office of bishop was abolished in favour of a Presbyterian form of government - meant that church rule was carried out by organisations of deacons and local elders
• The Book of Common Prayer was banned - replaced by the Directory of Worship
• Arminian features of churches, such as stained glass and statues, were removed
• Traditional Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter were no longer celebrated - became days of fasting and prayer
• 1650 - a Toleration Act ended the requirement of compulsory attendance at the national church’s services

Question 2

What did the changes made from 1643 lead to?

Answer 2

Thousands of parish priests being expelled from their homes - many bishops were imprisoned or exiled, or simply went into hiding.

Question 3

What was one of Cromwell’s key aims, in terms of religion?

Answer 3

To bring about a religious and social reformation, which meant establishing Godly Reformation and an improvement in public morality on the lines suggested by the Puritans

Question 4

What was the named of the document that was England’s first written constitution, and what did it do?

Answer 4

The Instrument of Government of 1653:

• It established the republican form of government
• It granted liberty of worship to all except Catholics and the more extreme Protestant sects

Question 5

When was the Restoration, and what did it do?

Answer 5

• May 1660

- Restored the Anglican Church, as well as the Stuart monarchy

Question 6

Charles II had demonstrated in the Declaration of Breda that he favoured religious toleration for…

Answer 6

non-conformists and Catholics.

Question 7

What did Charles II and his chief minister, Clarendon, seek to do in relation to the Church and England?

Answer 7

Broaden it to accommodate moderate Protestant groups that had emerged during and after the Civil War.

Question 8

Members of the Cavalier Parliament opposed the Toleration offered at Breda - what did they do instead?

Answer 8

They imposed a narrow religious settlement that became know as the Clarendon Code.

Question 9

What were the 4 Acts in the Clarendon Code?

Answer 9

1. The Corporation Act of 1661
2. The Act of Uniformity of 1662
3. Conventicle Act of 1664
4. The Five Mile Act of 1665

Question 10

Did Clarendon or the king support the Clarendon Code?

Answer 10

No, but they were forced to agree to parliament’s wishes

Question 11

How many clergy were deprived of their livings for refusing the Act of Uniformity?

Answer 11

2,000

Question 12

Although the Anglican Church had been restored in 1660, it could no longer pretend to have…

Answer 12

exclusive control over the country’s religious beliefs.

Question 13

Despite the persecution of religious dissenters, non-conformists remained…

Answer 13

a significant minority within many parts of the country.

Question 14

What was the Corporation Act, and when was it?

Answer 14

1661 - required all involved in local government to be communicant members of the Church of England.

Question 15

What was the Act of Uniformity, and when was it?

Answer 15

1662 - made the Book of Common Prayer compulsory in all churches.

Question 16

What was the Conventicle Act, and when was it?

Answer 16

1664 - religious meetings of five or more people were forbidden.

Question 17

What was the Five-Mile Act, and when was it?

Answer 17

1665 - established that clergymen who had been expelled from their parish for refusing to conform to the Act of Uniformity could not go within five miles of their former parish.