The Reformation
Subject Knowledge; Summary
Subject Knowledge: The Start of the Protestant Church
Subject Knowledge: The Reformation spread to Europe
Subject Knowledge: What were Henry's problems?
Subject Knowledge: Was Henry VIII really a Protestant or did he just want to limit the Pope's power?
Subject Knowledge: Elizabeth I
Subject Knowledge: Did Elizabeth change her 'middle way' policy?
Subject Knowledge: Consequences of the Reformation
- Attempts to reform (change and improve) the Catholic Church and the development of Protestant Churches in Western Europe are known as the Reformation.
- The Reformation began in 1517 when a German monk called Martin Luther protested about the Catholic Church. His followers became known as Protestants.
- Many people and governments adopted the new Protestant ideas, while others remained faithful to the Catholic Church. This led to a split in the Church.
Subject Knowledge: The Start of the Protestant Church
- Martin Luther was a German monk. He thought that the Catholic Church had too much power and was corrupt. In 1517 he wrote a document called the Ninety-five theses and nailed it on to the door of his local church.
- Luther set up a new, Protestant Church- the Lutheran Church. One of the differences between Protestants and Catholics is the way they view bread and wine during religious services. Catholics believe that the bread and wine actually turns into the body and blood of Christ. Protestants believe it stays bread and wine and only represents Christ.
- Luther also translated the Bible into German so more people could read and understand it.
Subject Knowledge: The Reformation spread to Europe
- Luther's ideas spread and were developed further. The Reformation in Europe led to a revolution, war and persecution.
- A stricter form of Protestantism called Calvinism became popular with the Dutch.
- In Scotland, Calvinism was called Presbyterianism.
- There were other, even more strict, versions of Protestantism. In England, very strict Protestants were called Puritans.
- There were wars of religion n France
- First Spain and then France went to war against the Dutch Protestants.
- In Germany, Protestant and Catholic states fought the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).
- In Spain, the kings used the Inquisition to torture and burn Protestants.
Subject Knowledge: What were Henry's problems?
- Henry VIII had problems and needed to decide which version of Christianity would help him the most. He had money problems and heir problems- who would be his heir when he had no children?
- In 1533, Henry VIII broke from the church and married the now pregnant Anne Boleyn in a secret ceremony. This solved his heir problem, but Henry was excommunicated by the Pope. The English Reformation had begun.
- Thomas Cromwell became Henry's chief minister (advisor). He helped Henry to break away from Rome, establishing Henry as the Head of the Church of England. This act also brought Henry much needed wealth.
- Over four years Cromwell ordered 800 monasteries to be disbanded and their lands and treasures taken for the crown.
- These developments were not popular among ordinary people and in 1536 there was a rebellion called the Pilgrimage of Grace.
Subject Knowledge: Was Henry VIII really a Protestant or did he just want to limit the Pope's power?
- During Henry's reign, Protestantism grew in England.
- Thomas Cromwell (Henry's chief minister), Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr, two of Henry's wives seem to have been Protestants.
- His son Edward had Protestant teachers and he was brought up as a Protestant.
- The Bible was translated into English (1539)
- However, towards the end of his reign Henry passed the Six Articles (1539) which meant that Church remained Catholic. Protestants who denied the Catholic faith were persecuted and even burned.
- Despite being Head of the Church in England, Henry never became a Protestant himself.
Subject Knowledge: Elizabeth I
- Elizabeth tries to keep Protestants and Catholics happy.
- Elizabeth I was brought up a Protestant. She realised that religion had caused a lot of problems for England.
- She tried to find a 'middle way' that both Catholics and Protestants could accept.
- She called her 'Supreme Governor of the Church of England'.
- Church services and the Bible were in English.
- Many elements of Catholic services were allowed including bishops, ordained priests, church decorations, music and colourful robes.
- The English prayer book was brought back, but a Latin edition was also printed.
- The new prayer book said that Christ was 'really present' in the bread and the wine in the Communion service. This was halfway between Catholic and Protestant beliefs.
- There was no question, however, that people could believe what they wanted. The Act of Uniformity (1559) stated that everybody had to attend the Church of England and use the Book of Common Prayer.
- She punished the Puritans and any Catholics who refused to go to Church of England services. These people were called recusants.
- The key to the 'middle way' was that the monarch was responsible for the faith of the state. For Elizabeth, the success of the 'middle way' would be a means to extend her control over the country.
Subject Knowledge: Did Elizabeth change her 'middle way' policy?
- Towards the end of her reign, however: the pope excommunicated Elizabeth in 1570.
- There were plots and rebellions against Elizabeth led by Catholics. The leaders of these were executed.
- Catholics priests who conducted secret services for Catholics were tortured and executed. Elizabeth executed as many Catholics as Mary burned Protestants.
- By the end of Elizabeth's reign, England was firmly a Protestant country.
Subject Knowledge: Consequences of the Reformation
- In England, the events of the C17th took place against a background of religious confusion.
- The failure of the Catholic Gunpowder to assassinate James I (1605) was greeted by national celebrations. There was great relief that the monarch wasn't harmed in the alleged plot.
- Religion played an important role in the Civil War that Charles I fought against Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell and other strict Puritans were against Charles' choice of Catholic wife and Catholic lifestyle.
- Cromwell, in particular, was motivated by his Puritan religion. When he was Lord Protector, he banned dancing, theatres, pubs, gambling, maypoles and even Christmas.
- Towards the end of the C17th, Catholicism became associated in people's minds with absolutism through the reigns of Louis XIV and James II. These monarchs believed they had a 'Divine Right' to rule- that they ruled personally on the authority of God.
- Catholics were used to communicating with God indirectly and therefore it was perceived that Catholics accepted a strong hierarchy. Protestants believed that ordinary people could communicate more directly with God through prayer, and therefore representative bodies like parliaments could be an expression of God's will.
- The Glorious Revolution.
- the wars against the Catholics in Ireland
- the wars against Louis XIV
- The Act of Succession (1701) gave the throne to a Protestant German (George I)
- Catholics were prevented from taking the crown and no monarch could marry a Catholic.