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Tudors unit 1 - the Church in c1529 (The political and social role of the…
Tudors unit 1 - the Church in c1529
The political and social role of the Church
Churchmen as Royal Advisors
The Catholic Church played a key role in politics: Abbots and bishops sat in the House of Lords, deciding on legislation and advising the king
Henry could use the wealth of the Church to reward his advisors and give them prestige
Teachings on monarchical authority
While the Church taught obedience to the monarch in worldly affairs, the Pope still held the power to excommunicate a monarch if they were a heretic or tyrant
As the Church had authority over all social standings, the king relied on the Church for social order, especially as the Church was physically present in everyone's lives, but the king was not
Social order was established through the Ten Commandments and threatening wall paintings
Wealth
In the 1520s Rome received £4500, and the king £12,500 a year from Church taxation
Peter's Pence and the Tithe were two taxes paid to the Church by everyone
The Tithe could include produce intended to keep the priests, but was often sold
Courts
Fined people for non-attendance at Church, breaking the Ten Commandments, slander and adultery
Also used to prove wills
Parish churches and monasteries
Churches were demonstrations of lavish wealth with stained windows and jewels
Churches would often contain chantry chapels
In 1509 (when Henry VIII came into power) there were more than 850 monasteries in England
Monasteries were places of learning, healing, and looking after the poor, but they were also strong economic and political structures
Roche Abbey: Possessions covered all of Yorkshire, but wasn't even the largest monastery
Popular piety and the Church's social role
The Church's spiritual role
The Liturgical Year (Holy Days) and the Church were the only link that common people had with God, so the clergy were highly revered
Lay religious guilds
The wealthy members of society could afford to build their own personal chantries, but commoners were unable to do this, so they would join a guild which provided a chapel and priest for it's members as long as they adhered to their rules
They played an active part in festivities and helping those in financial difficulty
Key beliefs
People believed in original sin and purgatory, thinking that the only way to reduce time in purgatory through indulgences, such as pilgrimage
Reaching Heaven was the ultimate goal of the 16th century
There was also a less common belief in justification; salvation through good works
and
faith
The Seven Sacraments were also crucial to Church belief; these were religious rites or ceremonies by which people received the grace of God
The role of the Priesthood
Priests were central to forgiving sins and saying Mass everyday, performing transubstantiation
Only the priest could give the sacraments of baptism, marriage, and last rites
The importance of printing
The printing press was developed in Germany in 1415; religious books were very popular, and they meant that literate people didn't have to sit and listen to a priest (although the Bible was in Latin
Early reformers and Humanists
The legacy of the Lollards
Support for Lollardy melted away once it was determined heresy, but there were still small pockets around High Wycombe in the 16th century
Humanism in England
Erasmus: Critical of some Church practices, but remained a committed theologian until his death in 1536
More: Advisor to Henry VIII and Lord Chancellor from 1529-32. He resigned after failing to convince Henry not to challenge the papacy and was executed in 1535 for refusing to acknowledge that Henry was Supreme Head of the Church
Colet: Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London and a friend of Erasmus. Was critical of the Church practice but believed in scripture
Lutheranism
Beliefs included salvation through faith alone
In 1520 Luther had 12 books in circulation, although at the end of the year there was a book burning
William Tyndale (translated the Bible into English in 1526)
Simon Fish (A Supplication for the Beggars)
Believed in Royal Supremacy
As a result of his attack on Martin Luther through the
Defence of the Seven Sacraments
Henry VIII was rewarded with the title
Defender of the Faith
Abuses and criticisms of the Church
Abuses of the clergy
It was thought that some priests and monks were not holding their vows of chastity
If a priest declared "Benefit of the Clergy" he could be tried in a Church court, which was more lenient and often allowed crimes to go unpunished. Others could also claim this benefit if they could recite key Latin verses known as "neck verses"
The impact of simony, nepotism, and absenteeism
Simony: This resulted in unqualified members of the Church and "career" priests instead of genuinely Holy Men
Nepotism: Results similar to that of simony - a famous example of this was Cardinal Wolsey, who promoted both of his children within the Church
Absenteeism: A result of career priests led to pluralism, which in turn led to absenteeism, and this meant priests were absent from their Parish but still gathered money from it, despite leaving only a partially educated cleric to take on his duties (who was often severely underpaid)
Anti-clericalism
Most of this criticism comes between 1529 and 1540, when Henry was seeking reform. The majority of the laity were deeply committed to the beliefs and practices of the Church. The most vocal criticisms came from the merchant class
Richard Hunne refused to pay the mortuary fee for his baby, and taken to court over a land dispute in 1511. In 1514 he was arrested for possessing a Lollard Bible. Before his trial Hunne was found dead in his cell under suspicious circumstances; the Church burned the body to prevent further investigation. In 1515 it was declared that he had been murdered and his case was discussed in the 1529 Reformation Parliament
Cardinal Wolsey: Made Archbishop of York in 1515 and Lord Chancellor, as well as a cardinal. He was also elected legatus a latere. Died in 1530 after being stripped of all his titles due to the Reformation
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