Was the church of 1547 very different from the church during the 1520s?

Question 1

What would you argue in a question concerning wether the church by 1547 was different to the church in the earlier years of Henry VIIIs reign ie the 1520s?

Answer 1

The Church was very different at the end of Henry VIII’s reign (H8), both in doctrine and in practice. Whilst there was no consistent pattern of doctrinal change + some aspects remained similar, there was certainly a significant amount of changes to the church which took place.

Question 2

Explain the 1st set of key points you would include in a Q on wether the church was changed under Henry VIII

Answer 2

1 - Early steps Henry VIII + Cromwell took to after the church’s power + to reform its hierarchy + the subsequent Break with Rome;

• 1531 charging 15 churchmen with praemunire + the 1532 supplication against the ordinances
• Break with Rome. 1532 act to restrain annates + 1533 act of restraint of appeals. At to restrain annates allowed annates previous paid to pope in rome to be paid to the king. Relationship between england + Rome for almost a millennium into pieces - cromwell aided this transition via his 2 new courts, the court of first fruit and tenths + augmentations which delt with this church wealth newly emerging into the kings pocket.
• 1534 Act of succession officially made henrys marriage to catherine of aragon null + void wich was office invalidated via parliament + henry as made supreme head of the church of england, which via cromwells utilisation of evidence of the Collectance Act which declare the monarch possessed an ‘Imperial Jurisdiction’ not subject to any foreign power (eg papacy)
• Treason act was also passed in 1534 which made it treason, punishable by death, to disavow the Act of Supremacy + everyone was required to swear oath of allegiance + loyalty to henry + It was introduced as a blanket law in order to deal with the minority of cases who would refuse to accept it, dramatically altering what could be considered treasonous to even speaking against the king or his supremacy.

Question 3

Explain the 2nd set of key points you’d include in a q on wether the church was changed under Henry VIII

Answer 3

2 - Enforcing of key reformist features of the church ie The dissolutions of the monasteries;

• 1535 complication of Valour Ecclesiasticus + ‘visitations’ to the monasteries which was followed by Act to dissolve the smaller monasteries (on the grounds that there was problems and corruption which was purposefully found din order to justify the Act) and by 1540 all monasteries were dissolved.
• The dissolution of these monasteries changed the focus of worship, as the poor became more reliant on the parish churches for relief, and on parish priests for religious guidance.
• 1536 First Set of Royal Injunctions attacked traditional practices which placed restriction on the number of holy days + discouraged pilgrimages. The 1538 Injunctions states pilgrimages + veneration (honouring religious objects + relics) were condemned - implications of this undoubtedly radical.
• 1539 First edition of English Mathew Bible + yhe variety of different religious books (e.g. the Bishops book, the kings book) creating a more diverse doctrine.
• Beliefs became more diverse + different groups, particularly the upper classes and people form the south-east became more reformist.

Question 4

Explain the 3rd set of key points you’d include in a Q on wether the church was changed under Henry VIII

Answer 4

3 - Can be argue Henry changed the direction of doctrinal change after 1535 + consequently reinforced traditional practices which were similar to that of the 1520s church;

• Many churches still held their services in latin, and disregarded the english bible. Official church teachings were still rooted in the seven sacraments, and there was still popular emphasis on purgatory, and prayer for the dead, despite the Injunctions + the charities act.
• The 1539 Act of Six Articles was issued to replace the act of 10 articles which reaffirmed catholic beliefs liken transubstantiation, private mass + confession.
• The 1543 Act for the Advancement of true religion which restricted public readings of the bible to upper class males as it had been during the 1520s opposing that of his previous changes such as the English Mathew Bible.
• Motivation behind this backtrack was certainly influenced more so by the immense pressure throughout the 1530s due to the genuine threat of a catholic crusade instigate by the spanish + french against england but nevertheless there was more traditional doctrinal practice enforced toward the later 1530s - 40s.

Question 5

Explain the 4th set of key points you’d argue in a Q on wether the church was changed under Henry VIII

Answer 5

4 - The parish church was still very much the centre of worship for the community, with the priest being a key figure in these services;

• Priests were still very much respected, despite growing anti-clericalism in the south east. The church was very much the heart of the community, with lay brotherhoods and guilds being an integral part of the community.
• These guilds could be very powerful, paying not just for the upkeep of church plate and cloth, but also for infrastructure projects such as bridges and roads, chantires and the organisation of church festivals.
• Guilds were still very popular among the poor, as shown by the fact that 57% of devoners and cornish left money in their will to them, showing their popularity and peoples devotion to them. Demonstrating how in some aspects the church of 1547 was similar to that of the 1520s.

Question 6

What would be your overall judgment to a question on wether the church by 1547 (the end of Henry VIIIs reign) was distinct to the church during the earlier years ie the 1520s?

Answer 6

Whilst there were a number of similarities between the church in 1547 to the church in 1520, there were major differences. The dissolution of the monasteries had utterly changed the shape of the church in the country and the jurisdiction of the Pope was diminished as he was no longer the head of the church.

Therefore I would argue the church by 1547 was very distinct to the previous church of the 1520s.