To what extent was the Henrican Reformation imposed from 'above'?

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009911091015                                                       Tutor: Dr C. Harrison

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The English Reformation

To what extent was the Henrican Reformation imposed from ‘above’?

The Henrican Reformation saw, or at least the prelude to the destruction of many traditional forms of piety: pilgrimages, shrines, worshipping of saints and most significantly the break with the key unifier of Christendom, the Bishop of Rome. Sir Maurice Powicke stated that ‘the one definite thing which can be said about the Reformation in England is that it is an act of state’, thus radical religious changes were ultimately imposed upon an otherwise spiritually satisfied nation. It may however have been very presumptuous to have made such a sweeping statement. The sixteenth century was a time of religion, but also a time of ideas, where the traditional religious structures were confronted with increasing criticism from all over Europe. Consequently lay the argument that this vein of reforming zeal was penetrating society far more extensively that it has once been assumed, hence far from an imposition from ‘above’ it was society that was ‘ripe for Reformation’. 

The reforming zeal of parliament was however, considerable in the period, and in many respects the Henrican Reformation was essentially spurred by politics. Haigh stated that ‘before the intrusion of political considerations which had little to do with religion, early Tudor England was not heading towards a Reformation’. There was supreme significance of the failure of Henry VIII to obtain the Pope’s consent to annul his marriage with Catherine of Aragon. It contributed to the Reformation Parliament (1529), which was to embark upon a set of revolutionary statutes that were to lead to the break with Rome, and the establishment of Henry VIII as ‘The Supreme Head of the English Church’ (Act of Supremacy 1534). The political gains of such a break, such as freedom from the ecclesiastical powers of Rome, and the financial spoils, were extremely attractive. It could give Henry both the answers to his martial difficulties; offer England the chance of a male heir and a solution to the England’s financial difficulties.

Certainly parliament started to exercise its muscles, and following the pramenuire accusations against the clergy their ‘Submission’ was presented in parliament, which gave into the Kings demands to monopolise their legal authority. The slow eclipse of Convocation was finding its push from ‘above’, especially as there was a fair degree of bulling connected to the passing of statutes. The Treason Acts insured that the threat of imprisonment following rejection to carry out the will of parliament was ever strong, and a sScarisbrick noted ‘fear was one of the king’s  best friends’. A butcher of Windsor was hung outside the castle for sympathising with the participants of the reactionary movement, the Pilgrimage of Grace. The curbing of Papal authority however may have seemed to many Protestant sympathisers, or even anti-clerics chance to push forward, or even ‘impose’ their doctrines.

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The circle around the King certainly included men who were interested to religious reform. Thomas Cromwell in particular used his position as vice-regent to the full. He helped pass a series of statutes that had a sideway glance in the direction of Protestantism. The Ten Articles (1536), for instance was a summary of what the Church believed in, and had a Lutherean ring to them. It was significant for the sacraments that it was primarily concerned with, baptism, penance and the Eucharist. Additionally in 1537 it was made law that every parish should have a copy of the Bible in ...

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