Break with Rome

What was religion like under Henry VII?

Catholic

• under jurisdiction of the pope

• 8,000 parish churches

• guilds and confraternities offered charity, and contribution to the community

• baptism, eucharist, confirmation all needed to get into heaven (part of the seven sacrements)

What were the three main early forms of protestantism?

• Lutheranism

  • → head of church= head of state

  • Episcopalian - bishop appointed ministers

• Zwingliasm

  • thought Luther was too conservative

  • Jesus head of churches

• Calvinism

  • seen as in between Lutherism and Zwinglianism

what was the break with rome?

• King Henry VIII's decision in the 1530s to sever ties with the Catholic Church

• Remove the social, economic and political power of the pope in England via legislation

• did not lead to the end of Catholicism

• Culminated in 1534

When did Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon get married?

11th June 1509 → 1533

• 24 years

Why did Henry VIII want a divorce from Catherine of Aragon?

• 1527 - He had become infatuated with Anne Boleyn → refused to be his mistress

• Desire for a male heir

  • Catherine was too old to conceive

  • only had 1 daughter - Mary I (1516)

• Religious Justification

  • argued that his marriage to Catherine - previously been married to his brother, Arthur = marriage was against God's law

  • Leviticus chapter 20 verse 16

• Political relations

  • 1525 - alliance between Charles V (Holy Roman Emperor) and Henry VIII ended

  • Catherine of Aragon aunt of Charles V

What argument did Henry VIII use as justification for an annulment?

• Leviticus chapter 20 verse 16

  • “if a man shall take his brother’s wife it is an impurity → they shall be childless”

What were the causes of the break with Rome?

• His desire for a divorce → Pope refusal to do so

  • see reasons for divorce - e.g desire for male heir

• wanted to challenge the Pope’s decision to grant the annulment of Catherine and Arthur’s marriage

• anti-clericalism

  • corruption of church

• Henry influenced by William Tyndall’s ‘obedience of the Christian Man”

  • defended the power and authority of kings in their own countries

• Henry’s desire for more power

  • wanted to invade France but no money

  • if Henry had control of church = new funds for ambitious foreign policy

Why did the pope refuse to grant the annulment for Henry VIII?

• Influence of Catherine’s powerful family

  • Charles V (nephew) → 1527 Charles V's army had captured Rome

  • Pope was under his control making it difficult for Clement VII to make decisions that would displease him

• Church Doctrine:

  • The Catholic Church generally opposed divorce

  • annulment was seen as a way to declare a marriage invalid from the start BUT was a complex and delicate issue. 

What were the criticism of the Church?

• corruption

  • pluralism → receiving profits of more than one post

  • non-residence → receiving profits of a post bur not being present to perform the duties associated with it

  • Nepotism

  • simony

• anti clericalism growing → opposition to clergy

  • some seen as corrupt - e.g. cardinal Wolsey

  • the murder of Richard Hunne (framed as a suicide)

What was the Act in restraint of Annates?

1532 - Act in restraint of Annates

• place pressure on Pope

• stop the payments of annates

  • first years income from a bishopric to Pope

• attacked Papal authority - consecration would take place with/without Pope’s approval

What were the legislative steps towards the break with Rome?

• Between 1533-36

• 1533 Act in Restraint of Appeals:

  • prohibited appeals to Rome → cutting off legal ties to the Roman Catholic Church

  • began transferring Pope’s power to Henry

• 1533 Succession Act

  • declared the marriage to Catherine of Aragon invalid

  • marriage to Anne Boleyn legitimate → ensuring the succession of Henry's children with Anne

•  1534 Act of Supremacy

  • declared Henry VIII the Supreme Head of the Church of England
    

• 1534 Treasons Act

  • made it a crime to deny the King's supremacy or to question his power over the Church

• 1534 - Act for first fruit and tenths

  • clerical taxes/annates to be paid to king by all clergy

  • 1/10 of all clergy income go to the king

• Act for the Submission of the Clergy

  • placed the clergy under royal control

How significant was the break with Rome?

SIGNIFICANT

• led to creation of the church of England - new religious structure

• triggered/ acted as the gateway for the Henrican reformation → lead to future religious divisions

• strengthened the role of Parliament, → played a crucial part in enacting laws for the break

• = long term consequences

NOT SIGNIFICANT

• for normal people very little difference in church services

• Pope’s powers not reduced greatly - still seen as spiritual head

who helped with the break with Rome?

• Cromwell

  • steered the break with Rome through Parliament

  • his idea to remove power of Pope and grant it to Henry

  • suggested to use legal means

• Cranmer

• Archbishop of Canterbury

  • married Anne and Henry

  • declared marriage to Catherine was void

  • 1533 authorised divorce