Edward IV - Religion

What were changes under Somerset like?

- Changes were primarily ceremonial, not doctrinal.

What happened in 1547? (1)

Royal Visitations - Commissioners sent to all bishoprics to examine the state of the clergy & doctrine & practices of the Church

Feb 1547 - Denunciation of images in London, did not order the destruction of images but led to widespread iconoclasm in September, while Somerset was in Scotland.

What happened in 1547? (2)

July 1547 - Royal Injunctions issued, condemned many traditional Catholic practices, such as superstition and the veneration of images, Bible reading in English was permitted for all. Bishop Gardiner was imprisoned for refusing to accept the injunctions.

Nov-Dec 1547 - First Parliament, Act of Six Articles, heresy laws and the Treason Act were all replaced. Government stripped itself of the powers to punish outbursts of anti-Catholicism, iconoclasm & destruction of Catholic altars, Chantries Act also passed.

What happened in 1548?

Jan - March - Series of Proclamation issued to dampen Protestant unrest.

Feb - All Church images were banned.

Dec - First Prayer Book

What happened in 1549?

Jan - Act of Uniformity ~ Banned the Latin Mass, enforced the Book of Common Prayer (introduced May 1549) as the official liturgy of the Church.

- Congregation given bread & wine, change from the traditional Catholic practice of the wine being reserved for priesthood.

- Did not radically alter the mass, only drastic change was language. Sparked the Western Rebellion of June 1549.

What was Religious Change like under Northumberland?

- More radical, doctrinal, Protestant reform 1550-53

What happened in 1550?

New reformed Ordinal - It detailed the ceremony to be followed when clergy were ordained.

- Removal of stone altars and replacement by wooden ones.

What happened in 1551?

- Removal of Catholic Bishops such as Gardiner, Bonner, Day and Heath and Tunstall, replaced by Protestants such as Ridley, Hooper and Ponet.

- Rewriting of key services such as Baptism, Confirmation and Burial

- Reform of Communion, including replacement of the wafer with ordinary bread. Highlighted influence of Zwinglain beliefs in consubstantiation.

What happened in 1552?

- 1552 Parliament:

+ New Treason Act, became an offense to question the Royal Supremacy or any belief of the Church of England.

+ Second Act of Uniformity, became an offense for clergy to not attend Church of England Services.

+ Enforced the Second Book of Common Prayer.

- Second Book of Common Prayer - Removed all traces of Catholicism, confirmed consubstantiation.

- 'Black Rubric' Proclamation - Kneeling to receive the Communion was for the sake of good order, not out of Idolatry. Edward personally intervened in this debate.

What happened in 1553?

42 Articles of Religion - Published by Cranmer, laid out the considerably Protestant doctrine of the Church.

What was the Impact of Religious Changes under Edward VI? (1)

- After the ascension of Mary, many were able to accept a return to Catholicism, debate on whether there was acceptance or enthusiasm.

+ Many disapproved of the disappearance of familiar ceremonies and the limitation of Holy Days in the year to 15.

- Rise of Humanism continued - some of Erasmus' works were translated into English and published.

Richard Cox, Edward's tutor, was a Protestant Humanist. Other influenced by Humanism included £1's tutors Roger Ascham and William Grindal (future Archbishop of Canterbury).

What was the Impact of Religious Changes under Edward VI? (2)

- Christopher Haigh's figures - 1540-46, 70% of northern wills left money to their parish. Only 32% left money to their parish during Edward's reign.

- 1550 - Hooper admitted the pace of reform was hampered by unpopular public opinion.