Instead, she approached religion with a more pragmatic air. Taken together the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, supplemented by Royal Injunctions in July 1559, completed the settlement of religion upon which the Church of England is based. The north of England remained conservative in religious matters and England's three closest neighbours (Scotland, France, and Spain) were all Catholic states. This division began during the reign of her father, Henry VIII. Calvinists were divided between conformists and Puritans, who wanted to abolish what they considered papist abuses and replace episcopacy with a presbyterian church government. 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. [97] The majority of conformists were part of the Reformed consensus that included the Puritans; what divided the parties were disputes over church government. 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. It restored the 1552 prayer book with some modifications. This perception was seemingly confirmed when Elizabeth was excommunicated by Pope Pius V in February 1570. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. it seems, apart from the absence of images, that there is little difference between their ceremonies and those of the Church of Rome. The Act of Uniformity of 1559 re-introduced the Book of Common Prayer from Edward's reign, which contained the liturgical services of the church. [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. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. [85], There were objections over the prayer book, including certain formulas and responses, the sign of the cross in baptism, the surplice and use of a wedding ring in marriage. World History Encyclopedia. Some lost faith in the Church of England as an agent of reform, becoming separatists and establishing underground congregations. What was Queen Elizabeth I's mission statement, as outlined by spokesman Sir Nicholas Bacon? [67] Over time, however, this "survivalist Catholicism" was undermined by pressures to conform, giving way to an underground Catholicism completely separate from the Church of England. Most of the parish clergy were Catholics. Elizabethan Settlement. 'The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was successfully established in the years 1558-1603. . Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. [30] It encountered more opposition in the Lords than the Supremacy Act, passing by only three votes. Elizabeth accepted the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England upon her ascension in 1558. 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. [89] These Puritans were not without influence, enjoying the support of powerful men such as the Earl of Leicester, Walter Mildmay, Francis Walsingham, the Earl of Warwick and William Cecil. So much flipping back and forth between Protestantism and Catholicism left the country deeply divided. Search here. 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. [98] Whitgift's first move against the Puritans was a requirement that all clergy subscribe to three articles, the second of which stated that the Prayer Book and Ordinal contained "nothing contrary to the word of God". [50] A year later, the Queen herself ordered the demolition of all lofts, but the rood beams were to remain on which the royal arms were to be displayed. Again, the question remained a moving target, and many-faced persecution as the definition of acceptable religion continued to shift. [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. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation passed from 1559 to 1571 that intended to provide a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. [49], The Queen was disappointed by the extreme iconoclasm of the Protestants during the visitations. As a Protestant, Elizabeth had to tread carefully between both faiths to maintain unity. 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. Historians John Coffey and Paul C. H. Lim write that the Elizabethan Church "was widely regarded as a Reformed church, but it was anomalous in retaining certain features of late medieval Catholicism", such as cathedrals, church choirs, a formal liturgy contained in the prayer book, traditional clerical vestments and episcopal polity. Essentially, the act returned churches to their appearance in 1549 CE. Every church had to have a Bible in English available to its congregation, no further altars were to be destroyed, and pilgrimages were banned. One of her first acts as queen sought to heal the religious division brought on by the past half-century by treading a middle ground between the two sides: a new united Church of England. "[108] Laudianism, however, was unpopular with both Puritans and Prayer Book Protestants, who viewed the high church innovations as undermining forms of worship they had grown attached to. The 1662 prayer book mandated by the 1662 Act of Uniformity was a slightly revised version of the previous book. 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). Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 02 June 2020. When Elizabeth inherited the throne, England was bitterly divided between Catholics and Protestants as a result of various religious changes initiated by Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. Henry VIII had broken from the Roman Catholic Church and the authority of the pope, becoming Supreme Head of the Church of England. Elizabeth I inherited a kingdom bitterly divided over matters of religion. Did the Elizabethan Settlement heal the divide between English Catholics and Protestants? [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]. Choosing to remain Catholic would surrender power to Rome and ally England with other Catholic states, such as France and Spain. Henry VIII officially broke with the Catholic Church in Rome in 1534 by passing the First Act of Supremacy, making himself head of a new Church of England. Most people in Elizabethan England were Catholic, but the majority of the government was Protestant. [54], Music in the Church of England was limited to biblical texts and music sung during worship in the early church. While affirming traditional Christian teaching as defined by the first four ecumenical councils, it tried to steer a middle way between Reformed and Lutheran doctrines while rejecting Anabaptist thinking. The Archbishop of Canterbury remained at the top, the Archbishop of York was number two, and the monarch appointed the bishops and archbishops. 6 Essay on Thirty Nine Articles of Religion. Large numbers of deans, archdeacons, cathedral canons, and academics (mostly from Oxford but also from Cambridge) lost their positions. [40] Across the nation, parishes paid to have roods, images and altar tabernacles removed, which they had only recently paid to restore under Queen Mary. Churchwarden accounts indicate that half of all parishes kept Catholic vestments and Mass equipment for at least a decade. Cartwright, Mark. As the historian D. Starkey notes, Elizabeth's cautious reforms resulted in "a Church that was Protestant in doctrine, Catholic in appearance" (314). Despite the problems that sometimes arose, it proved to be a remarkable success. In October 1559, she ordered that a crucifix and candlesticks be placed on the communion table in the Chapel Royal. From the Arminians, it gained a theology of episcopacy and an appreciation for liturgy. 8,000 priests and less important clergy did so. In 1645, the prayer book was made illegal and replaced by the Directory for Public Worship. The Elizabethan . 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. [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. There were 10,000 parishes in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful. The bishops were placed in the difficult position of enforcing conformity while supporting reform. The Elizabethan Settlement intended to provide a compromise between Catholics and Protestants by incorporating elements of each faith into the Church of England. 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. 5 Etching of Elizabeth I in Parliament. Debating the Elizabethan religious settlement. 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 Church will not prohibit oath-taking by Christians for civic purposes. 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". [111] Puritans became dissenters. The outbreak of Protestant radicalism during the English Civil War challenged ideas of inclusion and tolerance within the church. There were priests who conformed to the prayer book while also providing the Mass to their parishioners. [21], When the Queen's first Parliament opened in January 1559, its chief goal was the difficult task of reaching a religious settlement. Act of Supremacy (1559): This Act established Elizabeth I as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Queen did not approve, disliking any attempt to undermine the concept of religious uniformity and her own religious settlement. 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. [77], In 1569, the Revolt of the Northern Earls attempted to overthrow England's Protestant regime. The Elizabethan Settlement sought to provide a compromise between Protestants and Catholics by making a Church of England that had elements of both. The 1588 Marprelate Controversy led to the discovery of the presbyterian organisation that had been built up over the years. [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. Nevertheless, many of the features of the Settlement such as replacing altars with communion tables, using English in services, and banning traditional mass services, remained in place over the following centuries and their effects can still be seen on today's Anglican Church. Elizabeth . How could she reconcile the nation? [28], The bill included permission to receive communion in two kinds. Changes needed to be introduced with a minimum of confrontation in order to overcome fear and suspicion at home and abroad. 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. "[114] Historian Judith Maltby writes that Anglicanism as a recognisable tradition "owes more to the Restoration than the Reformation". Before 1574, most laymen were not made to take the Oath of Supremacy and the 12d fine for missing a service was poorly enforced. They looked to the Church Fathers rather than the Reformers and preferred using the more traditional 1549 prayer book. According to historian Diarmaid MacCulloch, the conflicts over the Elizabethan Settlement stem from the "tension between Catholic structure and Protestant theology". The successful defence of the Kingdom against invasion on such an unprecedented scale boosted the prestige of England's Queen Elizabeth I and encouraged a sense of English pride and nationalism. [91], By 1572, the debate between Puritans and conformists had entered a new phasechurch government had replaced vestments as the major issue. In the aftermath of the conformist assault, the 1590s were relatively free of theological controversy. Subsequently, two Catholics, John Felton and John Story, were executed for treason. The Church of England was then moved even closer towards full Protestantism under Henry's successor, his son Edward VI of England (r. 1547-1553 CE). Edward died at age seventeen in 1533, and England's official religion suffered dramatic changes again. Some Catholic religious opposition was not constraint to England, but failed to affect the successful establishment of Elizabeth's religious settlement. Essay on Elizabeth's religious settlement. Yes and no. [24], The lay peers joined the bishops in their opposition and succeeded in amending the bill considerably. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. What were the main features of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? At this point, the Privy Council introduced two new bills, one concerning royal supremacy and the other about a Protestant liturgy. "[14], Historians Patrick Collinson and Peter Lake argue that until 1630 the Church of England was shaped by a "Calvinist consensus". There were 10,000 parishes in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful . Fig. The main features of the settlement include: establishing a Church of England that included Protestant beliefs and the Catholic hierarchical structure and making Queen Elizabeth I Supreme Governor of the Church. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. 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. World History Encyclopedia, 02 Jun 2020. The Church of England's refusal to adopt the patterns of the Continental Reformed churches deepened conflict between Protestants who desired greater reforms and church authorities who prioritised conformity. Was the Elizabethan settlement successful? [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". The Elizabethan settlement did not settle the religious debates brought by the Reformation. Failure to attend service resulted in a small fine (which was then given to the poor). Parker was a prominent scholar and had served as chaplain to Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn. The Elizabethan Settlement was an attempt to end this religious turmoil. The Act of Uniformity of 1559 set out the groundwork for the Elizabethan church. A series of Church reforms that sought to create a middle ground between rival Catholics and Protestants. James was himself a moderate Calvinist, and the Puritans hoped the King would move the English Church in the Scottish direction. All members of the Church had to take the oath of supremacy under the Act of Supremacy if they were to keep their posts. Now outside the established church, the different strands of the Puritan movement evolved into separate denominations: Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Baptists. [41] During this time, Calvinist clergy held the best bishoprics and deaneries. In 1560, Bishop Grindal was allowed to enforce the demolition of rood lofts in London. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. [27], Another bill introduced to the same Parliament with the intent to return Protestant practices to legal dominance was the Uniformity bill, which sought to restore the 1552 prayer book as the official liturgy. The Admonition Controversy was not a disagreement over soteriologyboth Cartwright and Whitgift believed in predestination and that human works played no role in salvation. Somerset was a Calvinist, and the young king grew up with a host of Protestant tutors. The Directory was not a liturgical book but only a set of directions and outlines for services. The Elizabethan settlement of 1559 also known as the Elizabethan Religious Settlement contained a middle way solution to the Catholicism and Protestantism. The Royal Injunctions of July 1559 CE set out a further 57 regulations for the Church of England to follow. [34] Edward's second regnal year ran from 28 January 1548 to 27 January 1549. All Christians may receive the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! [73] They also acted as a "Church government in exile", providing Catholics in England with advice and instructions. Elizabeth's first Parliament was inaugurated on 25 January 1559. After Queen Mary I died in 1558, Elizabeth I became queen. This debacle occurred at the same time that Puritanism's most powerful defenders at Court were dying off. Two other important features of the Act of Uniformity were, first, church attendance was made compulsory. The Elizabethan Settlement established a unified Church of England that included Protestant beliefs and the Catholic hierarchical structure. However, this stance hardened over time. "The Elizabethan Religious Settlement." 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. [48] These provisions offended many Protestants, and in practice, the Injunctions were often ignored by church leaders. The choice of state religion would have political consequences, whatever the decision. Related Content Returning to Protestantism would align England with the Dutch, its main trading partner, but risked antagonising Spain, the most powerful nation in the world. The papal bull Regnans in Excelsis released Elizabeth's Catholic subjects from any obligation to obey her. [11], Elizabeth's religious views were Protestant, though "peculiarly conservative". A proclamation forbade any "breach, alteration, or change of any order or usage presently established within this our realm". Around 900 ministers refused to subscribe to the new prayer book and were removed from their positions, an event known as the Great Ejection. [18][19], To avoid alarming foreign Catholic observers, Elizabeth initially maintained that nothing in religion had changed. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation passed from 1559 to 1571 that intended to provide a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. It was also a concession to the Queen's Protestant supporters who objected to "supreme head" on theological grounds and who had concerns about a female leading the Church. Crucially, the Prayer Book dealt with the bread and wine of the communion service. His rise to power has been identified with a "conservative reaction" against Puritanism. [68][69][70] Efforts to introduce further religious reforms through Parliament or by means of Convocation were consistently blocked by the Queen. [72] In the early years, some 300 Catholics fled, especially to the University of Louvain. In addition to the English College at Douai, a seminary was established at Rome and two more established in Spain. 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. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. While most people conformed, a minority of recusants remained loyal Roman Catholics. One thing Elizabeth did insist upon was to reinstate herself as head of the Church. [118] Although Elizabeth I "cannot be credited with a prophetic latitudinarian policy which foresaw the rich diversity of Anglicanism", her preferences made it possible. A large number of the Parliament, who were still Catholic, opposed the bill, and it was eventually only passed by three votes: 21 to 18. The upheaval by yet another major religious reform resulted in rebellion in many English provinces. Her government's goal was to resurrect the Edwardian reforms, reinstating the Royal Injunctions of 1547, the 1552 Book of Common Prayer, and the Forty-two Articles of Religion of 1553. Recently saved for the nation, the Armada Portrait commemorates the most famous conflict of Elizabeth I's reign the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in summer 1588. Indulge in gifts inspired by its Elizabethan symbolism. Elizabeth's bishops protested both moves as revivals of idolatry, arguing that all images were forbidden by the Second Commandment. 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. Try and produce an argument for your decision by gathering evidence from the article! 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. Mary died in 1558, and England again faced upheaval in the name of religion. In the House of Lords, all the bishops voted against it, but they were joined by only one lay peer. 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. [82], The Queen's excommunication and the arrival of the seminary priests brought a change in government policy toward recusants. Elizabeth and her pro-reform ministers had to regroup and plan another strategy. ", Salvation comes from God's grace alone and not through good works.
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