D+-+THE+IMPACT+OF+THE+REFORMATION,+1536-1539

__**SECTION D: The Impact of the Reformation, 1536-1539 **__

"Foreign and domestic considerations led Henry to call a halt to theological experiments. He supported, and perhaps even encouraged, a parliamentary bill designed to end differences in religion and to publicise England's doctrinal orthodoxy. This piece of legislation - The Six Articles of 1539 - imposed severe punishements on anyone who challenged it." **S.Doran and C. Durston -** //Princes, Pastors and People:// //The Church and Religion in England, 1529-1689// **(2003)**

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Henry VIII allowed the Reformation in England to move towards a more Calvinist form of Christianity, but then put a holt to it. Is this, as Doran and Durston have suggested, because of "foreign and domestic considerations" or is it because Henry was coming around to the idea that he should be in charge of his own Church? He had allowed the Bishops, Cranmer and Cromwell to lead the Church away from his true religious beliefs. Was he too busy with his own personal life? Was his health not good enough for him to take a lead in his own affairs? Or was it simply that it suited him to allow others to drive England in this direction so that he could reap the benefits of a loyal merchant class, a gained wealth from the monasteries and all at the expense of his religious beliefs. Ultimately, who was behind the steering wheel of the Reformation? A clever lazy monarch, or a weak man who let personal issues come between him and his duty as King?

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__**Further reforms of Church **__ Between 1536 and 1539 it looked as though Henry was moving the Church in direction of Protestant/Lutheran theology.

**The King’s Supremacy 1534:** was an important doctrinal change. It meant that England had broken away from Papal control and was not part of the Catholic Church.**The Ten Articles 1536:** passed through Convocation by the bishops, these Articles made limited moves towards Lutheran ideas. **The Bishops’ Book 1537:** officially the Institution of a Christian Man. This was drawn up by a committee of bishops to fill in the gaps left in the Ten Articles.  media type="youtube" key="DpwhgEgeS2A" height="315" width="420" align="center"
 * The King and Cromwell were interested in a possible alliance with the Lutheran Princes in Germany. These Articles were not officially approved by the King or passed through Parliament.
 * Christ’s body was substantially present during the ceremony of the mass. This doctrine could be Catholic or Lutheran.
 * Catholics claimed that the bread and wine were totally transformed into the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation) Lutherans claimed that body and bread co-existed (consubstantiation)
 * Justification (salvation) was through faith joined with charity. This did not go as far as the Lutheran idea of Justification by Faith alone (solafidism) and could be interpreted as the Catholic doctrine of justification via faith and good works.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Three of the Catholic Church’s Seven Sacraments (Eucharist, Baptism and Penance) were discussed and approved; the other four were not mentioned.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">There was fierce debate between conservative and more reforming bishops. Henry did not give his approval. When he did review it, he sent Cranmer 250 changes.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The four lost sacraments (Marriage, Ordination, Confirmation and Extreme Unction) were rediscovered but declared less important than the other three.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Faith was seen as more important than good works for salvation.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Henry’s corrections were mainly designed to ensure that good works were seen as necessary for salvation.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Cromwell’s Injunctions 1536:** Thomas Cromwell was Vicegerent in Spirituals (the King’s Deputy in Church affairs).
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Clergy were to educate children in the basics of Christian belief and to preach in favour of the Supremacy and the Ten Articles.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The number of Holy Days (holidays) was reduced.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Cromwell’s Injunctions 1538:** Religious Images, which were the object of pilgrimage, were to be taken down.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Candles in front of images were forbidden; sermons were to be preached against the veneration of images and relics.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**An English Bible:** both sets of Injunctions had urged the introduction of English Bibles into parish churches. By 1547 most churches had them, though access was restricted.


 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Protestants had always insisted that a vernacular bible was crucial to true religion.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Catholics were not against an English Bible in principle but thought that in practice, lay exposure to it would lead inevitably to disagreements and heresy.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The English Bible was a major step towards a Protestant theology. Impact of Reformation on state finances and foreign policy.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Reformation did make Crown wealthier in the short term.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Crown took charge of all payments which had previously gone to Rome.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Crown acquired huge wealth in land and gods from dissolutions.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">BUT such was state's pressing needs for money that most of the land and goods was sold off for short-term gain rather than being invested for long-term improvement in royal income.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Reformation meant that England was now subject to possible invasion by France and the Emperor.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Whole of coastline on other side of Channel was hostile to Henry's reformation.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">At the time of the Pilgrimage of Grace, fears of papally inspired crusade to be launched to link up with rebels.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Henry VIII would be overthrown and Reginald Pole (Yorkist) would marry Princess Mary and rule jointly with her.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1538 Charles V and Francis I made peace and with the Pope declare war on all schismatics (heretics); there was a real fear of joint invasion of England and a need to strengthen coastal defences.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Reformation on hold 1538-47 **__ <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">After 1538, Henry changed direction, to establish a Church which was politically Protestant but religiously Catholic. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1538 John Lambert burnt at the stake. John Lambert was a reformer who argued, in line with Zwingli and other advanced reformers, that the body of Christ was not substantially present during the Eucharist. Henry presided at the trial, indicating that such radical ideas on the Eucharist were not acceptable.**1539 The Act of Six Articles.** This was an Act of Parliament with more authority than the Ten Articles passed by Convocation. It enshrined clear Catholic beliefs:
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Transubstantiation – bread and wine became entirely the body and blood of Christ.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Clerical celibacy – clergy not allowed to marry. Protestants allowed the clergy to marry.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Communion in both kinds (bread and wine) reserved to the clergy; laity to receive bread only.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Vows of chastity important and to be upheld
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Masses for the dead important
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Auricular confession (oral confession of sins to a priest) was ‘expedient and necessary’.

//Full Text of the Act of Six Articles is below://

__** The Failure of the Cleves Marriage **__

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 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Cromwell's attempt to link England to Schmalkaldic League of Protestant princes in Germany went badly wrong. Marriage annulled.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Instead Henry married Catherine Howard niece of leading conservative, the Duke of Norfolk.

__** 1540 Overthrow of Thomas Cromwell **__ <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Cromwell had been the King’s chief adviser and was in favour of reform. He was dismissed and executed for treason.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Without him the reforming party was seriously weakened and the conservatives led by Norfolk and Gardiner were strengthened.