The English Reformation
The Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church.
Key words
- The Reformation: the 16th-century religious ideas and activity in Europe that resulted in Protestant Churches being established
Wycliffe made the Reformation possible.
- Theological: relating to the study of religion and religious belief
They met at theological college.
- Exemplify: to be or give a typical example of something
American fashion is exemplified by jeans and T-shirts.
- Smuggle: to take things or people to or from a place secretly and often illegally
She was caught trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
- Heretic: someone who has beliefs that are against the principles of a particular religion
They learned how Catholics persecuted heretics in the Middle Ages.
Read the article to find the answers
- What was the official religion in England in the early 16th century?
- Why was Henry VIII desperate to have a son?
- What publication helped spread Protestant ideas?
- What happened after the Church of England became Protestant?
The English Reformation
England began the 16th century as a Roman Catholic nation, but when the English Reformation took place, the Church of England was forced to break away from the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church.
During the Wars of the Roses, members of the royal family were at war over who would be next in line to the throne. Henry VIII was desperate for a son to avoid the risk of another war over who the future monarch would be.
Theological
John Wycliffe had narrowly escaped execution for translating the Bible into English. Wycliffe founded Lollardy, a theologically rebellious movement that stressed the need for ordinary people to read the Bible for themselves. They urged people not to buy indulgences or fund monasteries. As English literature became more popular, the Church faced further criticism, exemplified by the mocking portrayal of the pardoner in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
The publication of William Tyndale's English New Testament in 1526 helped spread Protestant ideas. Printed abroad and smuggled into the country, the Tyndale Bible was the first English book to be mass-produced. Tyndale's translation was so influential that it became the basis for all subsequent English translations until the 20th century.
Protestant ideas were popular among some segments of the English population, especially among academics and merchants with ties to Europe. Nevertheless, Protestants remained a religious minority and were seen as heretics by both Church and State. Between 1530 and 1533, many Protestants were burned to death.
Political
The English Reformation began as a political as well as a theological dispute. In 1527, Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife so that he could remarry and have a son, but the Pope refused. In response, Parliament passed laws abolishing the Pope's authority in England and declaring Henry Head of the Church of England.
The Pope's authority over England ended when it became illegal to live under foreign laws and customs, to do so was treason, punishable by death. After Parliament passed the Treasons Act. the Church of England became Protestant, but disputes over its structure, theology, and worship continued for generations.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Do you know of any literature that mocks authority?
- Has your country ever had a reformation?
- Have there been wars over theology in your country?
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