Puritan attempts to change the Church Settlement of 1558-9 were utterly unsuccessful during the following three decades. How far do you agree with this statement?

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“Puritan attempts to change the Church Settlement of 1558-9 were utterly unsuccessful during the following three decades.” How far do you agree with this statement?

Despite the establishment of a more Protestant Church settlement in 1559, there were still some, who attempted to create a completely Protestant Church based on the ideas of Calvin, these were the Puritans. Although Puritanism never became permissible by law is it agreeable to conclude that Puritan attempts to change the Church settlement were utterly unsuccessful, when it was still being practised in private?

There are 4 main areas in which we could measure the success of Puritan attempts to change the church, the first being their attempt to change the church from within. This was the least extreme branch of Puritanism and in 1559 the Puritans primarily accepted the religious settlement, they misunderstood Elizabeth’s intentions and believed that the settlement was merely the start of a complete abolishment of Catholicism, to create a solely Protestant England. However, despite their acceptance, many head Puritans despised the idea of having to conform to a female head of Church, as was apparent through John Knox’s publication; ” First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women.” This already caused concern for a threat against Elizabeth, however, the Queen’s response to this outburst suppressed the Puritans, by attributing herself to God’s word, she announced that any conspiracies against the religious settlement were not only unlawful but also acts against the will of God. Yet, in an attempt to change the church from within many Puritans accepted positions in the existing Church, including leading Puritans such as, Richard Cox and John Jewel.

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In 1559 the Puritans did not pose any immediate threat due to the fact that they saw the settlement as the beginning of a Protestant reformation but by 1563 the Puritan clergy (within the Church) petitioned Convocation to ask if ;    holy days could be abolished, ministers could read services whilst facing their congregation and organ music accompanying hymns could be abolished. Although it would seem they were ‘unsuccessful’ due to their petition being defeated, it was only defeated by one vote showing the strength of Puritan ideology within the English Church at this time.

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