religious change under Edward VI

Why was Somerset slow at reforming?

Previous large scale reforms (dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII) were very badly received by the English public.

He was a moderate Protestant himself so may have wanted to keep many catholic practices

How where bishops divided?

Significant number (eg Gardiner) were opposed to change, others were undecided

How did others feel?

Lower clergy were opposed to change, The majority of the population were too

Who wanted reform?

London and east Anglia

How did the government begin?

Reviewing the condition of churches through royal visitations

What’s a royal visitation?

Examination of the state of the clergy the doctrine and practices of the church

When was the book of homilies placed in churches

July 1547

What was the book of homilies?

Provided the clergy with model sermons and Erasmus’ Paraphrases (summary of the New Testament)

What were clergy ordered to do in 1547?

Conduct services in English, preach every Sunday and ensure there was a English bible placed in every church

Remove all superstitious images and statues

When was the Chantries act?

Autumn 1547

What was the chantries act?

Ordered for the dissolution of chantries (place where mass for the souls of the dead), and the repeal of six articles

Many claimed it was an attack on catholic superstitions, some argue it was to fund a war in Scotland

When did parliament repeal the treason act?

Autumn 1547

What did the repeal of the treason act do?

Radicals were now free to discuss and demand more radical reforms as it removed the limits of speech

Why did the repeal of the treason act have a negative effect?

Unleashed more radical views and unrest followed with iconoclastic attacks on images and alters and pamphlets attacking mass.

Government struggled to control such problems and ordered a series of proclamations to restore order and limit those who could preach.

When were the government proclamations?

Issued between January and April 1548

What did the council have to do, September 1548?

Ban all public preaching, would further limit the spread of Protestantism

When was the act of uniformity?

January 1549

What did the act of uniformity state?

• Communion, baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial were the only sacraments

• Clergy were allowed to marry

• Singing masses for the souls of the dead were not allowed

• Holy communion, martins and evensong were to be in English

• Laity would be given bread and wine at communion

What did the uniformity act allow to still happen?

• Fast days and holy days

• The belief in purgatory was neither condemned or upheld

• Worship of saints wasn’t banned, only discouraged

When was the first book of common prayer released?

December 1548, made law by the act of uniformity

What happened if the clergy refused the new service

Could be either fined or imprisoned for refusing

What were visitations

Tests to see if the laity knew the 10 commandments and the Lord’s Prayer

What did bishop Hooper find?

Gloucester 10/311 couldn’t recite the Lord’s Prayer

171/311 couldn’t reciter the 10 commandments

How successful was Somerset?

Most catholic traditions and practices had been attacked an many destroyed

Moves to implement a more radical Protestant faith had proceeded only slowly and still met oppositio

When was the new ordinal

January 1550

What was the new ordinal

Revised the process for the ordination of priests

Why was Hooper not satisfied?

Annoyed by the swearing of an oath to saints and the need to wear a surplice.

What did Hoopers annoyance result to?

A battle with Ridley and Cranmer, led to Hooper declining the role as bishop of Gloucester and was imprisoned for failure to stop preaching

A compromise was made, and Hooper took up the role

When were all images ordered to be removed?

February 1547

When was the proclamation to order the destruction of the remainder of images?

December 1549

What religious changes occurred in 1551?

Conservative bishops were deprived of there sees, gave reformists a. Majority among the bishops

When was the new treason act?

January 1552

What was the new treason act?

Made it a offence to question royal supremacy

When was the second act of uniformity?

March 1552

When were the 42 articles?

November 1552

When was the second book of common prayer?

January 1552

When did Northumberland declare stone alters to be replaced with wooden tables?

November 1550

What did the second book of common prayer do?

Became the basis for church services and had to be used, evidence from remaining records that every parish had the new service introduced