Please enable JavaScript.

Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.

Mid Tudors Religion - Coggle Diagram

- - - - ◦ Bishops were instructed to conduct services in English. ◦ An English Bible was to be provided in every parish, and a sermon was to be preached every Sunday. ◦ Bishops were ordered to remove all superstitious statues and images from their churches.
  - - - ◦ Holy communion (the mass), matins, and evensong were required to be conducted in English. ◦ The sacraments were defined as communion, baptism, confirmation, marriage, and burial. ◦ New prayers were added to the old communion service, allowing the clergy and the laity to take both the sacramental bread and the wine. ◦ Clerical marriage was made lawful. ◦ The worship of saints, although not banned, was discouraged. ◦ The practice of singing masses for the souls of the dead was no longer approved.
    - - ◦ Hooper and others initiated the destruction of altars, which were replaced by communion tables, in line with Calvinist teachings. ◦ A new form of ordination was issued, deliberately removing "superstitious references" to sacrifice, purgatory, and prayers for the dead.
- - - - • Mary's first priority was to restore stability after twenty years of religious turmoil.
      - • Parliament repealed all the religious legislation approved during the reign of Edward VI.
      - • The Second Act of Uniformity was suspended.
      - • The doctrine of the Church of England was restored to what it had been in 1547 under the Act of Six Articles.
        
        ○ The Act of Six Articles (1539) had confirmed the seven sacraments.
        
        ○ This initial phase involved removing all traces of Protestantism.
      - • In March 1554, Protestant bishops were deprived of their sees (e.g., Hooper and Ridley), and Marian bishops were instructed to enforce all religious legislation of the last year of Henry VIII's reign.
      - • Returning to the 'old order of the Church, in the Latin tongue,' resulted in some married clergy being deprived of their livings.
    - - • Cardinal Reginald Pole arrived in England in November 1554.
      - • The decisive legislative step was the Second Statute of Repeal (November 1554).
        
        ○ This act ended the royal supremacy.
        
        ○ It returned England to papal authority.
        
        ○ It repealed all the religious legislation passed during the reign of Henry VIII that related to the break with Rome.
      - • The restoration of the Pope as head of the Church came at a price. Mary had to promise to protect the property rights of all those who had bought Church land since 1536.
        
        ○ This compromise demonstrated that Mary recognized the authority of Parliament over matters of religion.
  - - - • The burning of Protestants began in 1555.
      - • Approximately 274 Protestants were executed during Mary's reign. The majority of these were common people, though some were zealous religious radicals.
      - • The widespread unpopularity of the burnings, along with the return to papal authority, contributed to the impression that the return to Rome was accompanied by foreign interference and anti-English nationalism.
    - - • In 1555, the Westminster synod approved the Twelve Decrees to restore and reconcile the Church of England to Roman Catholic faith.
        
        ○ Decrees included: restoration of thanks to be given to God during the daily celebration of mass.
        
        ○ Bishops and priests were instructed to teach children the basic elements of the faith.
        
        ○ Steps were outlined for educating priests.
      - • Cardinal Pole attempted to reorganize the Church by establishing seminaries in every diocese for the training of priests.
      - • The restoration was hindered by a shortage of money, limiting the program for seminary creation.
      - • Mary's first priority was restoration, but her focus on administrative and legalistic approaches, combined with the lack of sufficient resources, meant Pole’s efforts to reorganise the Marian Church were unsuccessful.
- - - - Arguments for divorce as the key factor
        
        Henry's desire for a male heir: his marriage to Catherine of Aragon had not produced one, and he became convinced it was cursed
        
        He believed his marriage was invalid in gods eyes because he was previously married to his brother, Arthur
        
        He thought marrying Anne Boleyn might secure a son
        
        Catherine refused to accept the invalidity of their marriage which led Henry to seek an annulment from the pope
        
        The Pope's refusal to grant the annulment, largely due to pressure from Charles V (Catherine's nephew), created a direct confrontation between Henry and the papacy
      - Arguments against divorce as the key factor
        
        While Henry's desire for divorce was genuine, the Pope's refusal was only part of the issue
        
        Henry had already begun to question papal authority and its role in English affairs, with his frustration extending beyond this personal issue
        
        Political factors were also significant, as Henry was becoming more independent and aimed to assert control over religious matters in England, viewing the popes power as a challenge to his authority
    - - Argument For Doctrine as a Key Factor:
        
        The broader context of the Reformation in Europe is crucial, with ideas from Martin Luther and other reformers questioning the Pope's centrality and Church authority spreading by the time Henry perused his Divorce
        
        Henry had initially been a defender of Catholic orthodoxy, writing against Luther and earning the title "Defender of the faith"
        
        However, his views evolved, and his personal needs (securing a legitimate male heir) led him to challenge papal authority
        
        As he separated from Rome, he also embraced more reformist religious views, especially as it suited his political and personal goals
      - Argument Against Doctrine as the Key Factor:
        
        Henry's break from Rome was not primarily driven by a desire for Church reform but rather by political control and securing his own power.
        
        The theological shift towards Protestantism was a consequence of breaking from Rome, not necessarily the primary cause.
        
        Even after the break, Henry maintained many traditional Catholic practices in England, such as the use of Latin in the Mass and doctrines like transubstantiation, indicating his break was more about governance than theology.
    - - Argument For Money as a Key Factor:
        
        Breaking from Rome allowed Henry VIII to seize control of the vast wealth and property held by the Church in England.
        
        The dissolution of the monasteries significantly increased royal coffers, enhancing both his financial and political power.
        
        It allowed Henry to redirect funds (tithes and taxes) previously collected by Rome directly to the crown, increasing his autonomy and wealth.
        
        By creating the Church of England, Henry could assert control over English religious resources and reduce the Church's influence on daily life and politics.
        
        This financial independence from Rome was key to solidifying his rule.
      - Argument Against Money as the Key Factor:
        
        The break from Rome was not initially a financial decision; the dissolution of monasteries, which provided significant revenue, occurred after the break and was driven by a desire for control rather than simply financial gain.
        
        The early stages of the split were more focused on asserting Henry's personal and political authority.
        
        Henry could have pursued other financial strategies without breaking from Rome, such as reforms within the existing Catholic system or through alliances and taxation.
  - - - Change:
        
        Break with Rome (1534): Henry declared himself Supreme head of the Church of England through the Act of Supremacy. This marked a radical shift in religious authority
        
        Key evidence:
        
        Act of Supremacy (1534)
        
        Act in Restraint of Appeals (1533)
        
        Execution of Thomas More (1535)
        
        Treason act (1534) - made denial of royal supremacy punishable by death
        
        Dissolution of Papal Power: The Act in Restraint of Appeals (1533) ended legal applicants to the pope, asserting the kings final authority
        
        Execution of Thomas More (1535): Symbolised the personal cost of resisting royal religious authority
      - Continuity:
        
        Royal control rather than reformist theology: Henry replaced the Pope but did not embrace Protestant ideology. He saw himself as a Catholic monarch with no need for papal interference.
        
        Key Evidence:
        
        Henry's title: "Defender of the Faith" (granted by the Pope in 1521)
        
        Bishops like Stephen Gardiner retained influence
        
        No widespread replacement of Catholic clergy
        
        Clerical hierarchy remained intact: Bishops and archbishops retained their positions, and the administrative structure stayed similar.
    - - Change:
        
        Ten Articles (1536): Introduced some Protestant-influenced ideas, like justification by faith and reduction in scarcements seven to three
        
        The Bible in English (1539): The Great Bible was the first authorised English Bible, allowing laypeople to access scripture directly.
        
        Key Evidence
        
        Ten Articles (1536)
        
        Bishops book (1537)
        
        The Great Bible (1539)
        
        Royal Injunctions: Encouraged sermons on royal supremacy and discouraged pilgrimage and relics.
      - Continuity:
        
        Six Articles (1539): Reinforced key Catholic doctrines such as transubstantiation, clerical celibacy, and confession.
        
        Doctrinal ambiguity: Henry oscillated between Protestant and Catholic elements, maintaining a theologically conservative stance.
        
        Key Evidence:
        
        Six Articles (1539)
        
        Execution of Protestant reformers like Anne Askew (1546)
        
        Henry’s personal devotion to the Mass and confession
        
        Persecution of both Protestants and Catholics: Demonstrates Henry’s commitment to religious control, not doctrinal revolution.
    - - Change:
        
        Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536–1540): One of the most profound structural and financial changes; monastic life ended, and monastic lands were seized and sold.
        
        Pilgrimage discouraged and shrines destroyed (e.g. St Thomas Becket's shrine, 1538).
        
        Key Evidence:
        
        Valor Ecclesiasticus (1535) – survey of church wealth before dissolution
        
        Injunctions against pilgrimages and images (1536, 1538)
        
        Destruction of Becket’s shrine (1538)
        
        Images and relics were removed from some churches under Cromwell’s reforms.
      - Continuity:
        
        Mass and sacraments remained central: Despite some attacks on superstition, core religious services continued in much the same form.
        
        Parish churches largely unchanged: Though some images were removed, the layout and practices of most churches looked similar until Edward VI’s reign.
        
        Key Evidence:
        
        Masses for the dead continued
        
        Henry’s will requested prayers for his soul
        
        Latin remained in use in services until late in his reign
        
        Church calendar and festivals continued to be observed.