REFORMATION, CONFLICT AND SETTLEMENT IN RELIGION, 1547-66 By Scott, Benjamin and Tom
How Did Protestant And Catholic Churches Differ?
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CATHOLIC CHURCHES PROTESTANT CHURCHES Lavish with decoration and stained-glass. The priest was seen as special, and was idolized, wearing vestments, conducting sermons away from the congregation. A rood screen, for example, separated the priest from the rest of the church. Plain, whitewashed. The focus was on readings. The pastor would stand facing the congregation, on a lectern. Whereas the Catholic church would use ornate altars, the Protestant Church used bare tables.
The Edwardian Reformation Edward was known for surrounding himself was reforming preachers of whom his views he shared, and at the age of 13 is said to have believed the First Prayer Book was not radical enough in its religious changes. His involvement suggests he was part of certain decisions in religious policy, notably so the legislation for the Second Act of Uniformity under Northumberland. He was also the driving force behind efforts to force his sister Mary to submit to the new religion and was frustrated she invoked support to maintain Catholic practises in her own household. It also explains why the Reformation entered a more radical phased on the accession of Northumberland, who valued the need to satisfy the King more than Somerset.
The Reign Of Somerset Somerset was an avid Protestant, having kept a Protestant household and became a correspondent of Calvin. It was under Somerset that Protestant preachers became more evident in Court, however, the progress was not swift. The fears over backlash for the reforms hindered the progress of his government s religious policy, and therefore express a more moderate nature.
The Reign Of Somerset: Key Reforms Initial reforms included the repeal of the Act of Six Articles and the heresy laws, as well as the moderation of the Treason Act, allowing for increased Protestant publication and preaching in parishes. The closure of the chantries from 1547 onwards, despite financial necessities, also effectively rejected the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. Iconoclasm from 1547 was a more decidedly Protestant change, developing from Archbishop Cranmer s Royal Injunction of 1547 which forbid the veneration of images. Images were torn down in St. Paul s sparking confusion on how to approach this law across the country eventually Somerset sided with the radicals and in February 1548 it became a nationwide order to ban images. Cranmer also published his Book of Homilies in July 1547 which provided model sermons for members of the clergy who were unable preach for themselves. While it was not made law, the imprisonment of conservative bishops showed its Protestant leanings were intentional. The Act of Uniformity in January 1549 enforced the First Prayer Book, which outlined a more moderate form of worship to be used in services, upon fear of backlash to rapid religious change. It retained transubstantiation but emphasised no sacrifice, as well as use of English instead of Latin in services. It was intended to bring uniformity, and for the most part did, only suffering small complaints in the Western rebellion and more radical religious figures.
The Reign Of Northumberland Northumberland s religious views are unclear, as he leaned to both sides during his reign. He supported Catholic members of the Council in revolt again Somerset s Protestant push and affirmed his Catholic views before death, however, it was under his stewardship that England took the most significant turn towards Protestantism. Haigh claims that Northumberland treated religion as a useful policy in attracting allies, and motivated by the financial gain in seizing Church property.
The Reign Of Northumberland: Key Reforms The adoption of a new Ordinal in 1550, the code for the ordination of priests, marked a clear move from Catholic priest to Protestant minister. The rites of ordination were simplified, despite the ceremony remaining traditional, and the role of the cleric emphasised as a preacher. Catholic altars were changed to Protestant communion tables, a contentious issue that was made law in November 1550. It demonstrated a visual change to Protestantism. By 1551 many of the conservative clergy had been removed. Gardiner and Bonner were imprisoned for objections to the Book of Homilies and complaints at the abandonment of transubstantiation. Reformers, Nicholas Ridley and John Hooper, replaced them. More Church property were seized, not only for wealth but also to cement Protestant alliances in the Council. The Second Act of Uniformity and the Second Prayer Book it enforced in 1552 provided a definite shift towards Protestant doctrine. It abandoned the structure of the Mass and removed any mention of transubstantiation from the communion service. The wearing of Catholic vestments were also replaced by a surplice. The Forty-Two Articles of 1553 defined the reformed theology, and was a mixture of Lutheran and Calvinist teaching. The attaining of salvation was now to be achieved only by faith in Jesus Christ a teaching by Luther and the first doctrine of predestination.
The Marian Settlement Mary s religious beliefs and aims are clear to distinguish, having been brought up a strict Catholic and showing determination to restore Catholicism to England. She interpreted her accession as divinely ordained and her purpose to defeat the Protest heresy, saving England. Mary misinterpreted the outburst of popular support upon her accession as confirmation that the people were ready for a return to Catholicism, which encouraged her to go forth with distinct religious changes.
The Marian Settlement: Key Reforms The First Statute of Repeal in 1553 reversed all religious legislation passed in Edward s reign and restored the Church of England to the position held in the last year of Henry s reign, governed by the Act of Six Articles of 1539. The emphasis was put on the Catholic nature of religion under Henry and showed this showed a cautious element to the implementation of her own aims. No attempt was made to restore papal supremacy or the medieval heresy laws. Mary had no difficult in establishing the legislation because of the support of Parliament and arrest of Cranmer and Bishops Hooper and Ridley. The Second Statute of Repeal of 1555 was spearheaded by Cardinal Pole, the papal legate whose task was to restore the English Church to Rome. Upon his arrival in England in 1554, he pronounced solemn absolution on England and prepared the restoration of papal supremacy. The statute repealed all religious legislation passed since 1529, meaning the monarch ceased to be the Supreme Head of the Church. The medieval heresy laws were also revived. Her support for this however was largely because Mary did not threaten the position of the gentry and nobility and did not return the monastic land to the Church. She also did not allow papal interference in internal matters, and showed this in her support of Cardinal Pole after his summoning to Rome under charges of heresy. Pole made several attempts at reform, notably a new education programme based around seminaries in every diocese. However, the majority of the clergy remained poorly educated, which accounts for why few objected to the Elizabethan settlement.
The Elizabethan Settlement Elizabeth s upbringing had been decidedly Protestant, having grown up with the Protestant influence of Matthew Parker, later her Archbishop of Canterbury, and Catherine Parr. She was also educated alongside her brother by tutor Roger Ascham from Cambridge, a hotbed of Protestantism. Elizabeth s personal translations, her book of private devotions and her attitude to what she considered popish influences, all also point to Protestant beliefs. She was however a more astute politician than her sister Mary, and would not make significant religious changes without taking due consideration of both domestic and foreign concerns.
The Elizabethan Settlement: Key Reforms Firstly, in February 1559, Elizabeth introduced three religious bills to the House of Commons, later becoming one, and aiming to establish the monarch as head of the Church and a Protestant form of worship. The House of Lords however forced the bill into a Catholic dominated committee and the restoration of Protestantism was rejected. After a Protestant win in a disputation between them and Catholics at Easter, Elizabeth moved on with her reforms and introduced the new Act of Supremacy and Act of Uniformity. The former made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a lesser claim than Head by eased the worries of both religious groups, while the power remained the same. Papal supremacy was revoked, the clergy and royal officials obliged to swear acceptance of her new title and heresy laws repealed. The structure remained largely the same, offering reassurance to the masses. The latter focused on the appearance of churches, which became the same as in the second year of Edward s reign, and included a new Prayer Book based on those of 1549 and 1552. Fines were also imposed on those who did not attend church on Sunday and holy days, the taxes First Fruit and Tenths paid to the crown and monasteries and chantries founded by Mary Tudor dissolved and assets transferred to the Crown. The act was passed through Commons without incident but faced struggle in the Lords, however achieved a narrow victory.
How Successful Were Religious Changes? Somerset And Northumberland s Religious Policy At Edward s death in July, England was clearly Protestant, in regards to doctrine. However, the implementation of services was inconsistent, which blurred the religious stance slightly. Overall though, with no signs of resistance (after the Western and Ketts Rebellions) for the overall Protestant ideologies. When Mary came to power, she found it much harder than she believed to move the public back to Catholicism again, backing up the strength of the Reformation.
How Successful Were Religious Changes? Mary s Religious Policy The Marian settlement is normally seen as a failure. Historians believe that the success of Protestantism was inevitable, as it had been ingrained since 1529. However, some revisionist historians, such as Duffy, feel that the religious foundations of the public were loose, and Catholicism may have made a resurgence. Many clergy expressed support for traditional services, for example. Therefore, Mary s religious policy may have been more successful than first interpreted. In the end though, lack of finances, lack of an heir and general lack of time meant that these successes were shortlived; Mary did not have the time or resources necessary to firmly root Catholicism universally.
How Successful Were Religious Changes? Elizabeth s Religious Policy By 1566, Elizabeth had largely succeeded in a Protestant settlement, which maintained Catholic ceremonies and appearance. Most of the population had accepted the settlement; devout Catholics would continue regular Protestants church services, even if their beliefs were not fully with the church s religion. Although the change of services was slow, this was Elizabeth s plan; introducing changes slowly to make them easier to accept. No radical change would be perceived at one time. In addition, the clergy accepted the settlement in majority, with over 8,000 taking the Oath of Supremacy. Elizabeth s position as Supreme Governor was secure, and gave her enough power to enforce her wishes without challenge.
Protestant Catholic Timeline
Timeline Activity Events 1547: Widespread Iconoclasm Strong Protestantism, as they were against images and statues 1549: First Prayer Book Moderate Protestantism, eg: services were in English as well as Latin 1552: Second Prayer Book, 42 Articles Strong Protestantism, Lutheran And Calvinist views, abandoning Mass 1553: First Statue Of Repeal Catholic, reversed legislation back to Act Of Six Articles 1555: Second Statue Of Repeal Stronger Catholicism, reversed back to 1529, Mary no longer Supreme Head of the Church, preparing return of papal supremacy 1559: Act Of Supremacy and Uniformity Strong Protestantism with compromises, Supreme Governor