Most Puritans, however, remained in the Church of England. Afterwards, executions of Catholic priests became more common, and in 1585, it became treason for a Catholic priest to enter the country, as well as for anyone to aid or shelter him. 1559: Parliament passes the Act of Uniformity and the Act of Supremacy. As the older generation of recusant priests died out, Roman Catholicism collapsed among the lower classes in the north, west and in Wales. Other Catholic traditions which were maintained included making the sign of the cross during a baptism and priests wearing traditional vestments. The 1549 prayer book required clergy to wear the alb, cope and chasuble. Justification by faith alone, meaning that salvation is a gift from God received through faith. He refused, so the Queen left the chapel before the consecration. [67], Gradually, England was transformed into a Protestant country as the prayer book shaped Elizabethan religious life. [20] Nevertheless, Protestants were emboldened to practice illegal forms of worship, and a proclamation on 27 December prohibited all forms other than the Latin Mass and the English Litany. When his request was denied, Henry separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church and claimed that he, rather than the pope, was its supreme head on earth. [30] It encountered more opposition in the Lords than the Supremacy Act, passing by only three votes. The Religious Settlement was an attempt by Elizabeth I to unite the country after the changes in religion under Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. of the users don't pass the Elizabethan Settlement quiz! [40] There were also conflicting directions for the placement of the communion tables that were to replace stone altars. [1] Under Elizabeth's half-brother, Edward VI, the Church of England became more explicitly Protestant, projecting a "restrained" Calvinism, in the words of historian Christopher Haigh. The 1662 prayer book mandated by the 1662 Act of Uniformity was a slightly revised version of the previous book. Fig. The upheaval by yet another major religious reform resulted in rebellion in many English provinces. The priests wear the hood and surplice. Immediately after becoming Queen, she created the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. This would help secure her throne in political terms, too. The queen was determined to see the act enforced and sent inspectors around the parishes for that purpose. Historians debate how fast and complete the settlement changed religion in England. [37] This combination could be interpreted as an affirmation of an objective real presence to those who believed in it, while others could interpret it to mean memorialism. Under the bill, only opinions contrary to Scripture, the General Councils of the early church, and any future Parliament could be treated as heresy by the Crown's ecclesiastical commissioners. When Elizabeth I ascended to the throne, she took up the articles and gave them to a Convocation of religious leaders for revision for the new Church of England. Protestantism would also create a fear of persecution among Englands Catholics. This act stipulated what the interior of churches should look like. Ultimately, all but two bishops (the undistinguished Anthony Kitchin of Llandaff and the absentee Thomas Stanley of Sodor and Man) lost their posts. P-The Religious settlement was successful because there was much about it that was acceptable to most Catholics. They went through several revisions and were finalized in 1571 and added to the Book of Common Prayer. [38], In his "Puritan Choir" thesis, historian J. E. Neale argues that Elizabeth wanted to pursue a conservative policy but was pushed in a radical direction by a Protestant faction in the House of Commons. The Settlement failed to end religious disputes. After Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to give Henry an heir to his throne, Henry's eyes wandered! The Elizabethan Settlement intended to provide a compromise between Catholics and Protestants by incorporating elements of each faith into the Church of England. It was given statutory force by the Subscription Act, which required all new ministers to affirm their agreement with this confessional statement. A revised supremacy bill had passed the House of Commons before the recess but had been . James was himself a moderate Calvinist, and the Puritans hoped the King would move the English Church in the Scottish direction. Elizabeth was a Protestant, but not a zealous one as her brother Edward VI had been. Bibliography [94] Rather, the Admonition's authors believed that presbyterianism was the only biblical form of church government, whereas Whitgift argued that no single form of church government was commanded in the Bible. [32] The Litany in the 1552 book had denounced "the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities". The Elizabethan Religious Settlement. By the 1580s, conformist Protestants (termed "parish anglicans" by Christopher Haigh and "Prayer Book protestants" by Judith Maltby) were becoming a majority. However, Ronald Hutton argues that certain Catholic elements such as altars were present in some regional churches as late as 1567, demonstrating a reluctance to convert to the new Church. Somerset was a Calvinist, and the young king grew up with a host of Protestant tutors. In the end, the Queen and the bishops reached an unspoken compromise. [112], The Church of England was fundamentally changed. Her reason was: I would not open windows into men's souls"- Elizabeth I 1. From there they wrote and published a large body of Catholic polemical work to counter Protestantism, particularly Thomas Harding, Richard Smyth, and William Allen. . Like the Puritans, Andrewes engaged in his own brand of nonconformity. [85] In England, however, Protestants were forced to operate within a church structure unchanged since medieval times with the same threefold orders of bishop, priest and deacon along with church courts that continued to use medieval canon law. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was composed of the following principal elements: Henry VIII had started the English Reformation which split the Church in England from Catholic Rome. As the queen put it, she would "open windows into no man's soul" (Woodward, 171). Those exiles with ties to John Calvin's reformation in Geneva were notably excluded from consideration. The reforms included allowing clerics to marry and denying transubstantiation. Keeping the hierarchy of archbishops and bishops. It included the Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles. Most of their replacements were not consecrated until December 1559 or early 1560. Some modifications were made to appeal to Catholics and Lutherans, including giving individuals greater latitude concerning belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and permission to use traditional priestly vestments. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1565/the-elizabethan-religious-settlement/. Cite This Work [107], The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 allowed for the restoration of the Elizabethan Settlement as well. [33] The rubric provided instructions for clerical vestments, stating that until the Queen ordered otherwise ministers were to "use such ornaments as were in use by the authority of Parliament in the second year of the reign of King Edward VI". This petition for church reform was referred to the Hampton Court Conference of 1604, which agreed to produce a new version of the Book of Common Prayer that incorporated a few changes requested by the Puritans. Discover the rich royal history of the area where Henry VIII builthis first tournament ground, Elizabeth I took daily walks in the Park, and where Charles II raced early royal yachts against his brother We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience and to help us improve our website. [24], The lay peers joined the bishops in their opposition and succeeded in amending the bill considerably. Almost 200 Catholic priests and those who helped them were hunted and burned. In his private chapel, he added ceremonies and formulas not authorised in the prayer book, such as burning incense. Around 900 ministers refused to subscribe to the new prayer book and were removed from their positions, an event known as the Great Ejection. Those who refused to attend Church of England services were called recusants. Elizabeth had taken the decision to arrest any Catholic bishops that did not accept her authority as sovereign over them. [44], In the summer of 1559, the government conducted a royal visitation of the dioceses. There was much debate among traditionalists and zealous reformers about how this new church should look. [63], The Elizabethan settlement was further consolidated by the adoption of a moderately Protestant doctrinal statement called the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. Also, like Elizabeth, Parker was a Nicodemitesomeone who stayed in England during Mary's reign and outwardly conformed to Catholicism. Cartwright, Mark. Crucially, the Prayer Book dealt with the bread and wine of the communion service. He believed that as punishment by God for this communion, God was refusing him a male heir, and this influenced his decisions to divorce and remarry. [21], When the Queen's first Parliament opened in January 1559, its chief goal was the difficult task of reaching a religious settlement. The most important outcome of the Conference, however, was the decision to produce a new translation of the Bible, the 1611 King James Version. It is more accurate to call Whitgift and those like him conformists, since the word conservative carries connotations of Catholicism. Before 1574, most laymen were not made to take the Oath of Supremacy and the 12d fine for missing a service was poorly enforced. The Council hoped that by separating them at least the Supremacy bill would pass. Declaration on the proceedings of a Conference at Westminster, March 1559 (SP12/3/52, f.163r-164v) These are extracts from a report on the conference on religion, held during the Easter recess of Queen Elizabeth's first Parliament. Elizabethan Church, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, provides ample support to this authors contention that the Elizabethan Church Settlement was not really a via media, the middle road, but one that was distinctly Protestant. Elizabeth's bishops protested both moves as revivals of idolatry, arguing that all images were forbidden by the Second Commandment. [47] Other provisions of the Royal Injunctions were out of step with the Edwardian Reformation and displayed the Queen's conservative preferences. Seven bishops, including Cardinal Pole, Mary's Archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1558 and needed to be replaced. His lineage was unstable, and his production of a male heir was necessary. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1565/the-elizabethan-religious-settlement/. Without priests, these social classes drifted into the Church of England and Catholicism was forgotten. Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. While many people were either pro-Catholic or pro-Protestant, it is likely that many more were attracted to elements from both sides such as, for example, admiring the beautiful ornamentation of a gold crucifix yet favouring the use of English in services. [53] The bishops thought that Catholicism was widespread among the old clergy, but priests were rarely removed because of a clergy shortage that began with an influenza epidemic in 1558. In 1568 a college was founded at Douai (Spanish Netherlands) which trained priests, whom would . [27] Under this bill, the Pope's jurisdiction in England was once again abolished, and Elizabeth was to be Supreme Governor of the Church of England instead of supreme head. A priest found guilty of performing a mass could face the death penalty. [34] Edward's second regnal year ran from 28 January 1548 to 27 January 1549. Then the student should consider the . [117] The preface to the 1662 prayer book defined the Church of England as a via media "between the two extremes of too much stiffness in refusing and of too much easiness in admitting any variation". [40] These new royal injunctions were meant to fill in the details of the settlement and were to be enforced nationwide by six groups of clerical and lay commissioners. The rebellion was defeated, but it contributed to a perception that Catholicism was treason. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Those who chose not to adhere to the Church of England's rules were persecuted. His rise to power has been identified with a "conservative reaction" against Puritanism. This shows that the religious settlement was for the most part, largely successful. [13][14] At certain times, the Queen made her religious preferences clear, such as on Christmas Day 1558, when before Mass she instructed Bishop Owen Oglethorpe not to elevate the host. Edward died at age seventeen in 1533, and England's official religion suffered dramatic changes again. and more. [23][21] It was not popular with the clergy, and the Convocation of Canterbury reacted by affirming papal supremacy, transubstantiation and the Mass as a sacrificial offering. For many Protestants, clerical vestments symbolised a continued belief in a priestly order separate from the congregation,[71] and could be interpreted by Catholics as affirmation of traditional doctrines. As spokesman for the government, Bacon delivered its mission statement, to unite the people of this realm into a uniform order of religion'. Henry VIII secured his position on the throne through violence in 1485 when he defeated Richard III. [5][6] The Mass, the central act of Catholic worship, was condemned as idolatry and replaced with a Protestant communion service, a reminder of Christ's crucifixion. [102], In 1603, the King of Scotland inherited the English crown as James I. What was the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? Cartwright, Mark. [59] The impressment of boys for service as singers in St. Paul's Cathedral and the royal chapel continued during this period. Some Catholic religious opposition was not constraint to England, but failed to affect the successful establishment of Elizabeth's religious settlement. The specific words were: The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life, and take, and eat this, in remembrance that Christ died for thee, feed on him in thine heart by faith and thanksgiving. The English Reformation began with Henry VIII of England (r. 1509-1547 Mary, Queen of Scots was the queen of both Scotland (r. 1542-1567 Mary I of England reigned as queen from 1553 to 1558 CE. Includes paragraphs on the establishment of her religious settlement at the beginning of her reign; the severe opposition (Catholic, Puritan and Presbyterian) faced by her religious settlement throughout her reign which impeded its successful establishment. Within the Church of England, a Calvinist consensus developed among leading churchmen. The Royal Injunctions of July 1559 CE set out a further 57 regulations for the Church of England to follow. There is none other like it in Europe. [28], The bill included permission to receive communion in two kinds. When Edward VI died, his sister Mary I became queen. [115] It was in the period after 1660 that Richard Hooker's thought became influential within the Church of England, as Anglicans tried to define themselves in ways distinct from Protestant dissenters. It did not help that the church's Supreme Head was easily influenced, highly paranoid, and dangerously erratic. They sing the psalms in English, and at certain hours of the day they use organs and music. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement proved to be far more successful than the reforms imposed by Mary . [62] Although it was not legally required, it was traditional for virtually all Protestant churches and was also used at home. While the prayer book directed the use of ordinary bread for communion, the Injunctions required traditional wafers to be used. Again, the question remained a moving target, and many-faced persecution as the definition of acceptable religion continued to shift. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Choosing to remain Catholic would surrender power to Rome and ally England with other Catholic states, such as France and Spain. Henry dissolved the English monasteries and seized their assets, causing widespread unrest. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. II Historians have examined the Reformation of the English Church in a number of Thank you! In addition, the Pope excommunicated Elizabeth for heresy in 1570 CE. [76] Initially, recusant priests advised the laity to simply abstain from Protestant communion. It can be argued the settlement was successful among ordinary people as there were no widespread religious inspired revolts, unlike under HVIII (drawing comparisons across the Tudor period). He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. 'The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was successfully established in the years 1558-1603. . [48] These provisions offended many Protestants, and in practice, the Injunctions were often ignored by church leaders. The Queen did not approve, disliking any attempt to undermine the concept of religious uniformity and her own religious settlement. It was a good start but finding the balance between radicals on either side of the religious debate was going to be more difficult than mere wordplay. The first act passed by the House of Commons in February 1559 joined together a bill of supremacy, establishing Queen Elizabeth I as head of the church, with one of uniformity, dealing with the type of faith and service. What was a Catholic element of the new Church of England? [31], The Act of Uniformity required church attendance on Sundays and holy days and imposed fines for each day absent. Many did so out of sympathy with traditional Catholic religion, while others waited to see if this religious settlement was permanent before taking expensive action. The Act of Uniformity of 1559 set out the groundwork for the Elizabethan church. There was opposition to the moderate features of the Settlement from both radical Catholics and radical Protestants. This pressure meant that the Act was passed by Parliament but only by the slightest of majorities. [51], Many parishes were slow to comply with the injunctions. It restored the 1552 prayer book with some modifications. [108], During the reign of Charles I, the Arminians were ascendant and closely associated with William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (16331645). [119], Supreme Governor of the Church of England, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women, History of the Puritans under Queen Elizabeth I, A View of Popish Abuses yet remaining in the English Church, "Music and Reform in France, England, and Scotland", Elizabethan Religious Settlement - World History Encyclopedia, Documents Illustrative of English Church History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabethan_Religious_Settlement&oldid=1137970785, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 09:43. EV-Elizabeth had followed her own conscience in establishing a Protestant church of England but she has made a compromise with Catholics as she needed the support of Catholic political classes to help her run the country. After Elizabeth's death, the Puritans were challenged by a high church, Arminian party that gained power during the reign of Charles I. Essentially, the act returned churches to their appearance in 1549 CE. it seems, apart from the absence of images, that there is little difference between their ceremonies and those of the Church of Rome. From the Puritans and Calvinists, it "inherited a contradictory impulse to assert the supremacy of scripture and preaching". Rycote Chapel, OxfordshirePeter Reed (CC BY-NC) [11], Elizabeth's religious views were Protestant, though "peculiarly conservative". [36] When communicants received the bread, they would hear the words, "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life [1549]. [90], In 1572, a bill was introduced in the Queen's 4th Parliament that would allow Protestants, with their bishop's permission, to omit ceremonies from the 1559 prayer book, and bishops would be further empowered to license clergymen to use the French and Dutch stranger church liturgies. "[14], Historians Patrick Collinson and Peter Lake argue that until 1630 the Church of England was shaped by a "Calvinist consensus". Elizabeth I Sieve PortraitQuentin Metsys the Younger (Public Domain). Its purpose was to give the common people access to liturgies and prayers. [96], In 1577, Whitgift was made Bishop of Worcester and six years later Archbishop of Canterbury. John Whitgift of Cambridge University, a leading advocate for conformity, published a reply in October 1572, and he and Cartwright subsequently entered into a pamphlet war. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). These included injunctions allowing processions to take place at Rogationtide and requirements that clergy receive permission to marry from the bishop and two justices of the peace. When were the Thirty-Nine Articles passed? [77], In 1569, the Revolt of the Northern Earls attempted to overthrow England's Protestant regime. Through the 1580s, Puritans were organised enough to conduct what were essentially covert national synods. [71], In the early years of Elizabeth's reign, most Catholics hoped the Protestant ascendancy would be temporary, as it had been prior to Mary's restoration of papal authority. Elizabethan religious settlement: the Timeline of key events. How far do you agree? The settlement itself was written out in two Acts of Parliament, the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity 1559. However, this stance hardened over time. The collections at Royal Museums Greenwich offer a world-class resource for researching maritime history, astronomy and time. The bill was hotly debated but eventually passed by three votes. Matters were to be debated in a respectful fashion. The Elizabethan settlement of 1559 also known as the Elizabethan Religious Settlement contained a middle way solution to the Catholicism and Protestantism. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation passed from 1559 to 1571 that intended to provide a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. The next step followed quick on the heels of the first and was the May 1559 CE Act of Uniformity. Elizabeth then set about returning the Church of England to its reformed state as it had been under Edward VI or, if possible, not quite as radical. [29], The bill easily passed the House of Commons. We want people all over the world to learn about history. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. However, it had two major weaknesses: membership loss as church papists conformed fully to the Church of England, and a shortage of priests. The Act of Supremacy in 1534 removed any religious authority in England from the Pope and gave it to himself, and his heirs. A French ambassador, writing in 1597 CE, confirms this view in his description of a typical English Church service: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! Elizabeth's intention was that the Religious Settlement would prove a compromise acceptable to people of all religious standpoints.
Why Biotech Stocks Are Falling Today,
City Of Rockport Recycling Schedule 2022,
Articles W
