Religious changes under Edward

Religious policy under Edward saw a considerable move in the direction of ...

Protestantism

Somerset was a genuine …

convert to Protestantism & welcomed religious radicals into his household

Religious policy under Somerset was …

cautious

give an example of how religious policy under Somerset was cautious

the moderate Book of Common Prayer 1549 by Archbishop Cranmer, who was also cautious and anxious to avoid an increase in religious tension

what were the key objectives of the Book of Moderate Common Prayer 1549

it established a single form for services within the Church of England & translated the services into English

the Book of Moderate Common Prayer 1949 included an ambiguous…

Eucharistic declaration which could still imply acceptance of transubstantiation

A much more radical approach was adopted under Somerset in other areas despite the…

reluctance of public opinion to embrace religious reform

Somerset’s period of power experienced a sustained attack on …

popular religious practice particularly in London

Protestants were the …at the start of Edward’s reign

small minority

only …% of Londoners were Protestant by 1547, & elsewhere in the country Protestant was almost non-existent

20

what were the main religious policy changes made under Somerset?

denunciation of images in London, injunctions issued, dissolution of chantries & religious guilds, introduction of Book of Common Prayer

when was the denunciation of images in London

Feb 1547

why did Somerset denounce images in London

Reflected radical attitudes among churchmen

what was the significance of the denunciation of images in London under Somerset

Churchmen were supported within the government & by Protestant activities within London who engaged in widespread iconoclasm

when were injunctions issued

July 1547

why were inunctions issued under Somserset

Reflected radical attitudes within government

what was the significance of the injunctions issued under Somerset

Attacked many features of popular Catholicism such as lights, images, stained glass, processions & private practices associated with Candlemas, Ash Wednesday & Palm Sunday

when was the dissolution of chantries & religious guilds

Dec 1547

why did Somerset dissolve chantries & religious guilds

Crown needed money to pay for expensive foreign policy

what was the significance of dissolving chantries & religious guilds under Somerset

Chantries, guilds & lay brotherhoods abolished & their property seized by the Crown. This represented a further attack on popular Catholicism.

when was the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer

May 1547

why was the Book of Common prayer introduced under Somerset?

Need for uniform approach to religious services

what was the significance of the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer under Somerset

Imposed a more moderate approach to religious reform than that which had been followed in 1547

The social impact of religious changes under Somerset was highly significant as …

they amounted to a sustained attack on the religious experience of ordinary people & enabled a renewed plundering of the church’s resources.

There was a widespread fear under Somerset …

that this would only be the start of the systematic asset stripping of the church

what was Northumberland’s aim for the church

e wished to continue Protestant reforms initiated by Somerset & sought to plunder more of its wealth

Northumberland seemed to be … in religious matters

fairly cautious

there was a more radical approach to Protestantism under…

Northumberland

Cranmer was more radical under…

Northumberland

how was Cranmer more radical under Northumberland

the much more radical Book of Common Prayer introduced in 1552

why was religious policy more radical under Northumberland

Continental reformers had moved to England & were becoming influential in decisions on religious matters. There were some very close links between many English reformers and the Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger.

The firmly protestant nature of official doctrine under Northumberland was confirmed in…

Cranmer’s Forty-Two Articles of Religion which left some ambiguity between competing varieties of Protestantism

The crown was still in financial difficulties under Northumberland &….

pursued a systematic policy of asset stripping, extracting wealth from the church through the plundering of the property of bishoprics.

what key changes took place under Northumberland

Removal of remaining ‘conservative’ ceremonies, rewriting of baptism, conformation & burial services, radical reform of communion services, ban on use of proper vestments, restriction on the use of church music

why did Northumberland remove the remaining conservative ceremonies?

No longer fitted in with the regime’s religious radicalism

what was the significance of removing the remaining conservative ceremonies

Conservatives could no longer find anything in the prayer book which they could accept

why did Northumberland rewrite baptism, confirmation & burial survives?

To make services more easily understood by congregations

what was the impact of rewriting of baptism, confirmation & burial services under Northumberland

Showed Cranmer’s desire to see greater simplicity in church services

why was there a radical reform of communion service under Northumberland

Need for decisive change from ambiguity of 1549 prayer book

what was the impact of the radical reform of communion service under Northumberland

Showed influence of Zwingilianism (more radical than Luther, origins in Zurich) in the Eucharistic declarations

why was there a ban on use of proper vestments under Northumberland

Seen as objects of superstition

what was the impact of ban of use of proper vestments under Northumberland

Simpler clerical church vestments were seen as more in keeping with the simpler approach to services

why was there a restriction on the use of church music under Northumberland

Moderate protestants thought the church music hindered religious understanding, radical opinion considered it disastrous

what was the significance of the restriction on the use of church music under Northumberland

Simpler approach to music reflected the emphasis on greater simplicity in church services

how was there support for protestant changes

70% of northern wills between 1540-1546 left money to their parish. Only 32% did so during Edward’s reign - evidence of a crisis in religion at parish level. There was also a decline in church attendance & in the number of candidates for ordination as priests.

what evidence was there for a resistance to protestant reforms

The pace of reform was hampered by uncooperative public opinion. Many parishes sold or hid their treasures to avoid Crown attack on church plate in January 1553.  The accession of Mary witnessed a spontaneous return to the old ways in many parishes.