was the elizabethan religious settlement successfulwas the elizabethan religious settlement successful

The Thirty-nine Articles of 1563 CE (made law in 1571 CE) were the final part of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. Was the Elizabethan settlement successful? "For a while, it was possible to sustain an attenuated Catholicism within the parish framework, by counterfeiting the mass, teaching the seven sacraments, preserving images of saints, reciting the rosary, observing feasts, fasts, and customs". How could she reconcile the nation? . Have all your study materials in one place. 2 Church Illustration from the Surrey Archaeological collection 1854. To realise this vision it was necessary to reach a new religious settlement that was as inclusive as possible. This division began during the reign of her father, Henry VIII. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Almost 200 Catholic priests and those who helped them were hunted and burned. The Act of Supremacy in 1534 removed any religious authority in England from the Pope and gave it to himself, and his heirs. In addition, the liturgy remained "more elaborate and more reminiscent of older liturgical forms" and "took no account of developments in Protestant thinking after the early 1550s". The Elizabethan Settlement established a unified Church of England that included Protestant beliefs and the Catholic hierarchical structure. Enjoy the bank holiday weekend celebrating King Charles III's coronation, Why do artists draw, and what can their sketches teach us about their skills and techniques? Elizabeth I's religious settlement | Royal Museums Greenwich - Cutty Sark The Church will not prohibit oath-taking by Christians for civic purposes. Immediately, she established that England was not tied to Rome in any way. Anyone suspected of not recognising Elizabeth as head of the Church would now find themselves before a new court, the Court of High Commission. Essentially, the act returned churches to their appearance in 1549 CE. What was a Protestant element of the new Church of England? [68][69][70] Efforts to introduce further religious reforms through Parliament or by means of Convocation were consistently blocked by the Queen. The queen's precise personal views on religion were difficult to determine. [100], In the Parliaments of 1584 and 1586, the Puritans attempted to push through legislation that would institute a presbyterian form of government for the Church of England and replace the prayer book with the service book used in Geneva. Here is an example answer to the following 16-mark question on whether geographical divisions were the biggest problem for Elizabeth I in establishing the religious settlement in England. and more. [97] The majority of conformists were part of the Reformed consensus that included the Puritans; what divided the parties were disputes over church government. [116] The clash between Calvinists and Arminians was never resolved, and the "seesaw battle between Catholic and Protestant within a single Anglican ecclesiastical structure has been proceeding ever since". [79] The discovery of the Ridolfi plota Catholic conspiracy to overthrow Elizabeth and place Mary, Queen of Scots on the thronefurther alarmed the English government. [92] While Parliament still met, Thomas Wilcox and John Field published An Admonition to the Parliament that condemned "Popish abuses yet remaining in the English Church" and episcopal polity. In October 1559, she ordered that a crucifix and candlesticks be placed on the communion table in the Chapel Royal. [77], In 1569, the Revolt of the Northern Earls attempted to overthrow England's Protestant regime. Elizabeth I and The Spanish Armada Flashcards | Quizlet Elizabeth I knew that one of her first acts as queen needed to resolve the ongoing confusion about what the Church of England was. The Queen did not approve, disliking any attempt to undermine the concept of religious uniformity and her own religious settlement. Elizabeth's cautious reforms resulted in 'a Church that was Protestant in doctrine, Catholic in appearance'. [67], Gradually, England was transformed into a Protestant country as the prayer book shaped Elizabethan religious life. This receptionist view had much in common with John Calvin's Eucharistic theology. 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. A revised supremacy bill had passed the House of Commons before the recess but had been . Fig. [15] At Westminster Abbeystill a Benedictine monasterythe Queen disapproved of what she considered Catholic superstition, telling the monks bearing candles in procession, "Away with those torches, for we see very well". World History Encyclopedia, 02 Jun 2020. This illustrated guide gives an overview of the context, creation and significance of the Portrait, alongside evaluation of Elizabeths legacy A wondrous decorative ornament inspired by the armillary sphere astronomical instrument. Around 900 ministers refused to subscribe to the new prayer book and were removed from their positions, an event known as the Great Ejection. From the Arminians, it gained a theology of episcopacy and an appreciation for liturgy. The next sovereign was Catholic Mary I of England (r. 1553-1558 CE), and she reversed the Reformation. The Act of Supremacy 1559 This required all clergymen and government officers to . Why was the Elizabethan religious settlement successful? The rebellion was defeated, but it contributed to a perception that Catholicism was treason. 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. Create and find flashcards in record time. Then the student should consider the . [17] Her Privy Council was filled with former Edwardian politicians, and only Protestants preached at Court. Through the 1580s, Puritans were organised enough to conduct what were essentially covert national synods. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was a collection of laws and decisions concerning religious practices introduced between 1558-63 CE by Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603 CE). While some were happy to return to the traditional religion, many were not, and the land was ripped apart by rebellion. There was much debate among traditionalists and zealous reformers about how this new church should look. 10 of Elizabeth I's Key Achievements | History Hit The upheaval by yet another major religious reform resulted in rebellion in many English provinces. It restored the 1552 prayer book with some modifications. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was a collection of laws and decisions concerning religious practices introduced between 1558-63 CE by Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603 CE). Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. The proposed settlement was roundly rejected and adulterated by the House of . Most Puritans, however, remained in the Church of England. Bishop Goldwell of St Asaph was never summoned to Parliament, and the elderly Bishop Tunstall of Durham was excused from attending on account of age. P-The Religious settlement was successful because there was much about it that was acceptable to most Catholics. From Hooker, Anglicanism "inherited its belief in the place of reason as an authority for action, its esteem for continuity over the Reformation divide, and a hospitality towards sacramental modes of thought". 5 Etching of Elizabeth I in Parliament. Which of the following was NOT included in the Thirty-Nine Articles? "It was worthwhile for Elizabeth's government to throw the Lutherans a few theological scraps, and the change also chimed with the queen's personal inclination to Lutheran views on eucharistic presence. The Elizabethan settlement of 1559 also known as the Elizabethan Religious Settlement contained a middle way solution to the Catholicism and Protestantism. Both attempts failed, mainly because of the Queen's opposition. [46], The Injunctions offered clarity on the matter of vestments. In 1539, Henry tried to walk back some of his more Lutheran-leaning reforms and make the Church of England more Catholic by reaffirming transubstantiation and celibacy for clerics. The queen was determined to see the act enforced and sent inspectors around the parishes for that purpose. In Mary's reign, these religious policies were reversed, England was re-united with the Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism was suppressed. Large numbers of deans, archdeacons, cathedral canons, and academics (mostly from Oxford but also from Cambridge) lost their positions. 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. 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. Unlike in other Protestant states, the old Catholic structure of the Church below the sovereign was maintained with the bishops organised in a hierarchy. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. "Of Common Prayer and Sacraments" taught that although only baptism and the Eucharist were sacraments instituted by Christ other rites such as ordination had a sacramental character. The 1559 Religious Settlement was an honest attempt to bring as many as was possible into the fold - but it could never have satisfied the wishes of those who were at the religious extremes of society. It remains a unique institution that treads between Catholicism and Protestantism known in other regions. Examples of permissible music included metrical psalms and liturgical texts such as the Te Deum. There were 10,000 parishes in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful. Henry was later excommunicated from the Catholic Church after his secret marriage to Anne. Irregular Unions: Clandestine Marriage in Early Modern English Literature Elizabeth I: A Captivating Guide to the Queen of England Who Was the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Cite This Work The Religious Settlement - GCSE History For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. 'Bloody Mary's' brief reign was ended by cancer, and her half-sister Elizabeth took the throne in 1558 CE. She disliked married clergy, held Lutheran views on Eucharistic presence, and there is evidence she preferred the more ceremonial 1549 prayer book. The eldest Aqa A-Level History: The Tudors: England 1485-1603. Elizabeth was seemingly a moderate in religious views and she wished above all to avoid the bloody scenes of executed martyrs that her predecessor had presided over. The English Civil War and overthrow of the monarchy allowed the Puritans to pursue their reform agenda and the dismantling of the Elizabethan Settlement for a period. They tried to push more Protestant-leaning reforms in 1566 but failed. All Christians may receive the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. This group was led by Richard Neile of Durham and became known as the Durham House group. 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. Wealthy church papists attended their parish church but had Mass at home or hired two chaplains, one to perform the prayer book service and the other to perform the Mass. 'The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was successfully established in the years 1558-1603. . [75], Catholics were forced to choose between attending Protestant services to comply with the law or refusing to attend. 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. Queen Elizabethan I Settlement Facts of Religion 1559 A priest found guilty of performing a mass could face the death penalty. All clergy and royal office-holders would be required to swear an Oath of Supremacy. 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. Between 1574 and 1603, 600 Catholic priests were sent to England. In the aftermath of the conformist assault, the 1590s were relatively free of theological controversy. [91], By 1572, the debate between Puritans and conformists had entered a new phasechurch government had replaced vestments as the major issue. [73] They also acted as a "Church government in exile", providing Catholics in England with advice and instructions. Although it did not heal the divide brought on by the Reformation, it did stabilize the Church of England, and many of the religious decisions made during the Elizabethan Settlement period remain part of the Anglican church today. The Pope's authority was removed, but rather than granting the Queen the title of Supreme Head, it merely said she could adopt it herself. Special interests include art, architecture, and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share. [63], The Elizabethan settlement was further consolidated by the adoption of a moderately Protestant doctrinal statement called the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. This was by no means a simple task as, in these early stages, nobody quite knew what Anglicism precisely was except that it was not Catholicism or extreme Protestantism but somewhere in-between. The choice of state religion would have political consequences, whatever the decision. [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. 1559-60: 400 Catholic clergymen who served under Mary I resign. Was the Elizabethan settlement successful? They reduced the number to thirty-nine, leaving out a few that they thought would most offend the Catholics. Neither France nor Spain reacted to the changes, perhaps believing that they were as temporary as they hoped Elizabeth's reign would be. World History Encyclopedia. "The Elizabethan Religious Settlement." The 1588 Marprelate Controversy led to the discovery of the presbyterian organisation that had been built up over the years. The Church of England was Protestant at its core but took the hierarchy from the Catholics by keeping archbishops and bishops. Instead, she approached religion with a more pragmatic air. We want people all over the world to learn about history. Elizabeth had taken the decision to arrest any Catholic bishops that did not accept her authority as sovereign over them. [51], Many parishes were slow to comply with the injunctions. One of the most visible differences from traditional Catholic churches was the replacement of the altar with a communion table. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Meaning he could finally divorce Catherine! She kept her crucifix and candles and dropped her plans to restore roods. 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. ", Salvation comes from God's grace alone and not through good works. There is none other like it in Europe. Thomas Sampson, a Marian exile, believed that "All scripture seems to assign the title of head of the Church to Christ alone". Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. This was partially due to ambiguous doctrinal changes which did not greatly affect everyday life, among other factors. Haigh argues that the Act of Uniformity "produced an ambiguous Book of Common Prayer: a liturgical compromise which allowed priests to perform the Church of England communion with Catholic regalia, standing in the Catholic position, and using words capable of Catholic interpretation". Upload unlimited documents and save them online. The Admonition Controversy was not a disagreement over soteriologyboth Cartwright and Whitgift believed in predestination and that human works played no role in salvation. [57] Churches employed singers for special occasions,[58] which might be paid with money, wine, or ale and bread. [66], The settlement of 1559 had given Protestants control of the Church of England, but matters were different at the parish level, where Catholic priests and traditional laity held large majorities. [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. They would spend more money on buying Bibles and prayer books and replacing chalices with communion cups (a chalice was designed for the priest alone whereas a communion cup was larger and to be used by the whole congregation). As spokesman for the government, Bacon delivered its mission statement, to unite the people of this realm into a uniform order of religion'. However, it had two major weaknesses: membership loss as church papists conformed fully to the Church of England, and a shortage of priests. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation passed from 1559 to 1571 that intended to provide a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. Symbolic of the general compromises going on, priests could place a crucifix and candles on the table. [7] Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist was no longer explained by the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation; instead, the 1552 Book of Common Prayer promoted the Reformed teaching of Christ's spiritual presence. Bishops Watson of Lincoln and White of Winchester were imprisoned in the Tower. While a disappointment for Puritans, the provisions were aimed at satisfying moderate Puritans and isolating them from their more radical counterparts. Immediately after becoming Queen, she created the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. All of the leading clergymen were Protestants and former exiles (Robert Horne, Thomas Becon, Thomas Bentham, John Jewel, Edwin Sandys, and Richard Davies), and they interpreted the injunctions in the most Protestant way possible. She inherited an England deeply divided on religious issues. Elizabethan religious settlement: the Timeline of key events. The Elizabethan religious settlement survived with the attrition of other religious beliefs and practices. Since the Act of Uniformity 1549 which approved the first prayer book was passed in January, it is likely that the provisions of the 1549 prayer book were intended, even though Edward's second year ended several months before the book was published. [113] The suppression and marginalisation of Prayer Book Protestants during the 1640s and 1650s had made the prayer book "an undisputed identifier of an emerging Anglican self-consciousness. The seminary priests were dependent on the gentry families of southern England. William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (1520-1598 CE) was Elizabeth Thomas Cranmer served as the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Elizabeth I reigned as queen of England from 1558 to 1603 CE. What was the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? What were the main features of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? Again, the question remained a moving target, and many-faced persecution as the definition of acceptable religion continued to shift. [107], The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 allowed for the restoration of the Elizabethan Settlement as well. As the older generation of recusant priests died out, Roman Catholicism collapsed among the lower classes in the north, west and in Wales. The Elizabethan . [56] Parish churches tended to have less music as Puritan influences argued against using of funds to pay for choristers. Others refused to conform. Elizabeth's intention was that the Religious Settlement would prove a compromise acceptable to people of all religious standpoints. 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. 30 Apr 2023. However, only 4% of all lower clergy . There are only two sacraments: Baptism and Communion, or the Lord's Supper. Henry VIII secured his position on the throne through violence in 1485 when he defeated Richard III. The most important outcome of the Conference, however, was the decision to produce a new translation of the Bible, the 1611 King James Version. When Henry died in 1547, the Protestants gained the upper hand. Please support World History Encyclopedia. [13] At the same time, he calls the idea that the prayer book modifications were concessions to Catholics "absurd", writing that "these little verbal and visual adjustments" would never satisfy Catholic clergy and laity after the loss of "the Latin mass, monasteries, chantries, shrines, gilds and a compulsory celibate priesthood". Rycote Chapel, OxfordshirePeter Reed (CC BY-NC) Matters were to be debated in a respectful fashion. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. The Book of Common Prayer gave English-speaking people prayers in their language. There were obstacles, notably the presence of many Catholic bishops who had been appointed by Mary and many catholic-minded nobles in the government. It included the Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles. Other Catholic traditions which were maintained included making the sign of the cross during a baptism and priests wearing traditional vestments. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement. Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 02 June 2020. Queen Elizabeth I wanted to build a stable, peaceful nation with a strong government, free from the influence of foreign powers in matters of the church and the state. [86] In general, the bishops considered clerical dress adiaphora and tried to find compromise, but the Queen believed that the churchand herself as Supreme Governorhad authority to determine rites and ceremonies. [101], In response to Bridges' A Defence of the Government Established in the Church of England for Ecclesiastical Matters, an anonymous Puritan under the pseudonym Martin Marprelate published a series of tracts attacking leading conformist clergy. Taxes that had been paid to Rome were, as before Mary's reign, redirected to the English government. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. [30] The revised Book of Common Prayer removed this denunciation of the Pope. The Elizabethan Clergy and the Settlement of Religion, 1558-1564. "[14], Historians Patrick Collinson and Peter Lake argue that until 1630 the Church of England was shaped by a "Calvinist consensus". Debating the Elizabethan religious settlement. [49], The Queen was disappointed by the extreme iconoclasm of the Protestants during the visitations. Did the Elizabethan Settlement heal the divide between English Catholics and Protestants? When Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, England's religious situation was dire. There was a turnover of officials as Elizabeth removed remaining pro-Catholic bishops and, under the 1559 CE Act of Exchange, confiscated their estates (or threatened to if they did not toe the line). In addition, the Pope excommunicated Elizabeth for heresy in 1570 CE. The Religious Settlement - Religion in the Elizabethan age - WJEC The priests wear the hood and surplice. The latter problem was addressed by establishing seminaries to train and ordain English priests. 1559: Parliament passes the Act of Uniformity and the Act of Supremacy. Cartwright, Mark. Elizabethan Settlement. 'Elizabeth's religious settlement was a successful compromise - Quizlet The Religious Settlement of 1559 - History Learning Site Likewise, Elizabethan Puritans abandoned the hopeless cause of presbyterianism to focus on less controversial pursuits. [60], Devotional singing at home was shared between family and friends. [48], In some instances, the injunctions contradicted the 1559 prayer book. "The Elizabethan Religious Settlement." With bishops, however, only one agreed to take the oath and all the others had to step down. Essentially, they covered all the matters not yet set out in previous legislation and aimed to definitively establish what was meant by the English version of Protestantism, otherwise known as Anglicism. [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. Quentin Metsys the Younger (Public Domain). The Elizabethan Settlement intended to provide a compromise between Catholics and Protestants by incorporating elements of each faith into the Church of England. [65], With the Queen's approval, Convocation also issued a second Book of Homilies with sermons on 20 topics. The bishops were placed in the difficult position of enforcing conformity while supporting reform. How successful was the Elizabethan settlement within the - MyTutor When Parliament reconvened in April, the two issues were presented separately and considerable concessions were made. [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. However, this stance hardened over time. The proposed settlement was roundly rejected and adulterated by the House of Lords, with its Catholic majority. Elizabeth's efforts led to the Religious Settlement, a legal process by which the Protestant Church of England was restored and the queen took the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England. We care about our planet! [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". Yes and no. The reforms may have been mild but they were enough for the Pope to eventually excommunicate the queen for heresy in February 1570 CE. [82], The Queen's excommunication and the arrival of the seminary priests brought a change in government policy toward recusants. It included the Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles. While broad and ambiguous, this provision was meant to reassure Catholics that they would have some protection. This was particularly evident between 1565 and 1567 during the Vestments controversy over the refusal of some clergy to wear the clerical dress required by the Royal Injunctions. 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. The Council hoped that by separating them at least the Supremacy bill would pass. Regardless of how quickly Elizabethan reform spread throughout England, the legislation of the Elizabethan Settlement did stabilize the face of the Church of England. Historians debate how fast and complete the settlement changed religion in England. [99] Whitgift's demands produced widespread turmoil, and around 400 ministers were suspended for refusal to subscribe.