Elizabeth had to also concede to the radical Protestants and so she introduced a new Book of Common Prayer in 1559 CE which was not quite as radical as Thomas Cranmer's 1552 CE version but more so than the more moderate 1549 CE version. 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. [77], In 1569, the Revolt of the Northern Earls attempted to overthrow England's Protestant regime. When not in use, it was to be oriented north to south, the same as an altar. Did the Elizabethan Settlement heal the divide between English Catholics and Protestants? Upload unlimited documents and save them online. What were the main features of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? Henry dissolved the English monasteries and seized their assets, causing widespread unrest. Quentin Metsys the Younger (Public Domain). It is more accurate to call Whitgift and those like him conformists, since the word conservative carries connotations of Catholicism. [34][35] Opposition to the so-called "popish wardrobe" made it impossible to enforce the rubric. The outbreak of Protestant radicalism during the English Civil War challenged ideas of inclusion and tolerance within the church. 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. [108], During the reign of Charles I, the Arminians were ascendant and closely associated with William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (16331645). The settlement continued the English Reformation which had begun during the reign of her father, Henry VIII of England (r. 1509-1547 CE) whereby the Protestant Church of England split from the Catholic Church led by the Pope in Rome. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. 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. [112], The Church of England was fundamentally changed. Yes and no. [35], The most significant revision was a change to the Communion Service that added the words for administering sacramental bread and wine from the 1549 prayer book to the words in the 1552 book. Despite the problems that sometimes arose, it proved to be a remarkable success. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. The remaining bishops were all Catholics appointed during Mary's reign, and Elizabeth's advisers hoped they could be persuaded to continue serving. The hybrid thus created was a compromise that left numerous issues unresolved. [16] In February, the House of Commons passed a Reformation Bill that would restore royal supremacy, the Edwardine Ordinal, and a slightly revised 1552 prayer book. 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). [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. [21], When the Queen's first Parliament opened in January 1559, its chief goal was the difficult task of reaching a religious settlement. The next step followed quick on the heels of the first and was the May 1559 CE Act of Uniformity. Was the Elizabethan settlement successful? Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation that provided a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. It included the Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles. "[14], Historians Patrick Collinson and Peter Lake argue that until 1630 the Church of England was shaped by a "Calvinist consensus". "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". But that does not mean that it was never again contested. 30 Apr 2023. The Holy Scriptures contain "all things necessary for salvation. [102], In 1603, the King of Scotland inherited the English crown as James I. Episcopacy was replaced with a semi-presbyterian system. [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. The queen's precise personal views on religion were difficult to determine. 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. A priest found guilty of performing a mass could face the death penalty. James I tried to balance the Puritan forces within his church with followers of Andrewes, promoting many of them at the end of his reign. 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. [24], The lay peers joined the bishops in their opposition and succeeded in amending the bill considerably. [16] The Queen's principal secretary was Sir William Cecil, a moderate Protestant. 1559-60: 400 Catholic clergymen who served under Mary I resign. Why was the Elizabethan religious settlement successful? [93] It called for the church to be organised according to presbyterian polity. Clergy were to wear the surplice (rather than cope or chasuble) for services. Laud and his followers believed the Reformation had gone too far and launched a "'Beauty of Holiness' counter-revolution, wishing to restore what they saw as lost majesty in worship and lost dignity for the sacerdotal priesthood. The Act of Supremacy became law. [28], The alternative title was less offensive to Catholic members of Parliament, but this was unlikely to have been the only reason for the alteration. Twenty bishops (all Roman Catholics)[22] sat in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual, and the Lords in general were opposed to change. How far do you agree? 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. In the aftermath of the conformist assault, the 1590s were relatively free of theological controversy. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. The Elizabethan Settlement was religious legislation passed from 1559 to 1571 that intended to provide a compromise between English Catholics and Protestants. [88], The controversy over dress divided the Protestant community, and it was in these years that the term Puritan came into use to describe those who wanted further reformation. [8] The veneration of religious images (icons, roods, statues) and relics were suppressed,[9] and iconoclasm was sanctioned by the government. It also deleted the Black Rubric, which in the 1552 book explained that kneeling for communion did not imply Eucharistic adoration. 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 belief that the wafer and wine literally transform into Christ's body and blood during Communion service. [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. . A revised supremacy bill had passed the House of Commons before the recess but had been . After Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to give Henry an heir to his throne, Henry's eyes wandered! Edward VI believed that strict Protestantism was best for the Church of England, and his reforms undid all of the protections for traditional religion enacted in 1539. Books 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. One of the most visible differences from traditional Catholic churches was the replacement of the altar with a communion table. Elizabethan Settlement. [60], Devotional singing at home was shared between family and friends. [65], With the Queen's approval, Convocation also issued a second Book of Homilies with sermons on 20 topics. [40], Another historian, Diarmaid MacCulloch, also finds Neale's thesis flawed. Historians debate how fast and complete the settlement changed religion in England. "[114] Historian Judith Maltby writes that Anglicanism as a recognisable tradition "owes more to the Restoration than the Reformation". Catherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's brother's wife. She disliked married clergy, held Lutheran views on Eucharistic presence, and there is evidence she preferred the more ceremonial 1549 prayer book. 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. While broad and ambiguous, this provision was meant to reassure Catholics that they would have some protection. As the historian D. Starkey notes, Elizabeth's cautious reforms resulted in "a Church that was Protestant in doctrine, Catholic in appearance" (314). Elizabeth . 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. Some Catholic religious opposition was not constraint to England, but failed to affect the successful establishment of Elizabeth's religious settlement. When Parliament reconvened in April, the two issues were presented separately and considerable concessions were made. The injunctions ordered the "holy table" to be carried into the chancel during communion services but at all other times to be placed where the altar would have stood. [86] Throughout her reign, the Queen successfully blocked attempts by Parliament and the bishops to introduce further change. There were 10,000 parishes in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful . The most important outcome of the Conference, however, was the decision to produce a new translation of the Bible, the 1611 King James Version. In response, a group of conformists including Richard Bancroft, John Bridges, Matthew Sutcliffe, Thomas Bilson, and Hadrian Saravia began defending the English Church's episcopal polity more strongly, no longer merely accepting it as convenient but asserting it as divine law. [115], Diarmaid MacCulloch states that Hooker's writings helped to create an "Anglican synthesis". Parker was a prominent scholar and had served as chaplain to Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn. Regardless of how quickly Elizabethan reform spread throughout England, the legislation of the Elizabethan Settlement did stabilize the face of the Church of England. How far could one's views about faith go before the established church could no longer accept them? 8,000 priests and less important clergy did so. 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. Most Catholics, however, were "church papists"Catholics who outwardly conformed to the established church while maintaining their Catholic faith in secret. In 1564 there were shall engines to it from radical protestants and in 1 568 conservative Catholics also reacted against it.However despite such challenges, which were from a . Most parish clergy kept their posts, but it is not clear to what degree they conformed. However, many Englishmen disagreed with its "middle ground" approach to religion to pacify Protestants and Catholics alike. Elizabeth herself was happy enough to have such quintessential Catholic elements as candles and a crucifix in her own private chapel. They established the practice of faith and religious procedures in England. [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. He refused, so the Queen left the chapel before the consecration. 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 collections at Royal Museums Greenwich offer a world-class resource for researching maritime history, astronomy and time. The Church of Scotland was even more strongly Reformed, having a presbyterian polity and John Knox's liturgy, the Book of Common Order. [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". [31], The Act of Uniformity required church attendance on Sundays and holy days and imposed fines for each day absent. While some were happy to return to the traditional religion, many were not, and the land was ripped apart by rebellion. [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. [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. 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. However, it had two major weaknesses: membership loss as church papists conformed fully to the Church of England, and a shortage of priests. This act ignited the English Reformation and established a unique form of Protestantism known as Anglicanism as the official religion. 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). What was Queen Elizabeth I's mission statement, as outlined by spokesman Sir Nicholas Bacon? [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. In Mary's reign, these religious policies were reversed, England was re-united with the Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism was suppressed. What was the Elizabethan Religious Settlement? Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Most of the other posts went to Marian exiles such as Edmund Grindal for London, Richard Cox for Ely, John Jewel for Salisbury, William Barlow for Chichester and John Scory for Hereford. 6 Essay on Thirty Nine Articles of Religion. Through the 1580s, Puritans were organised enough to conduct what were essentially covert national synods. It did not help that the church's Supreme Head was easily influenced, highly paranoid, and dangerously erratic. Implemented between 1559 and 1563, the settlement is considered the end of the English Reformation, permanently shaping the theology and liturgy of the Church of England and laying the foundations of Anglicanism's unique identity. 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. [17] Her Privy Council was filled with former Edwardian politicians, and only Protestants preached at Court. When Edward VI died, his sister Mary I became queen. Two other important features of the Act of Uniformity were, first, church attendance was made compulsory. Rycote Chapel, OxfordshirePeter Reed (CC BY-NC) [67], Gradually, England was transformed into a Protestant country as the prayer book shaped Elizabethan religious life. 1559: Parliament passes the Act of Uniformity and the Act of Supremacy. The queen was determined to see the act enforced and sent inspectors around the parishes for that purpose. The Elizabethan settlement did not settle the religious debates brought by the Reformation but it did provide the structure for the Church of England, much of which is still in use today. Unlike in other Protestant states, the old Catholic structure of the Church below the sovereign was maintained with the bishops organised in a hierarchy. [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. James was himself a moderate Calvinist, and the Puritans hoped the King would move the English Church in the Scottish direction. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement. 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. Try and produce an argument for your decision by gathering evidence from the article! In effect, Elizabeth was declaring that she did not believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation. Fig. It was a defeat for the Queen's legislative programme, so she withheld royal assent. 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. Essay on Elizabeth's religious settlement. What was a Protestant element of the new Church of England? Its leaders were arrested and the Classical Movement disintegrated. In addition to the English College at Douai, a seminary was established at Rome and two more established in Spain. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (15581603). Geographical divisions were the biggest problem in establishing the religious settlement in England'. [61] By far the most popular and reprinted metrical Psalter was Thomas Sternhold's Whole book of Psalms. [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. Many became leaders of an underground Catholic Church. 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. [74] In 1568, the English College at Douai was founded to provide a Catholic education to young Englishmen and, eventually, to train a new leadership for a restored Catholic Church in England. During Henry's reign, the Church of England went semi-Lutheran in 1537, asserting that justification by faith alone was central to doctrine and that the church should eliminate saint worship. 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. This division began during the reign of her father, Henry VIII. [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. However, as a result of the Northern Rebellion, excommunication by the Pope and challenge of MQS, E was forced to impose strict penalties against Catholics. The Settlement failed to end religious disputes. 8,000 priests and less important clergy did so. While a disappointment for Puritans, the provisions were aimed at satisfying moderate Puritans and isolating them from their more radical counterparts. The north of England remained conservative in religious matters and England's three closest neighbours (Scotland, France, and Spain) were all Catholic states. The Thirty-nine Articles were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith but of the position of the Church of England in relation to the Catholic Church and dissident Protestants. 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. It restored the 1552 version of the English Prayer Book but kept many of the familiar old practices and allowed for two interpretations of communion, one Catholic and one Protestant. Elizabeth had taken the decision to arrest any Catholic bishops that did not accept her authority as sovereign over them. Debating the Elizabethan religious settlement. [11], Elizabeth's religious views were Protestant, though "peculiarly conservative". The latter problem was addressed by establishing seminaries to train and ordain English priests. How could she reconcile the nation? [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]. [30] It encountered more opposition in the Lords than the Supremacy Act, passing by only three votes. In 1560, the bishops specified that the cope should be worn when administering the Lord's Supper and the surplice at all other times. Elizabethan religious settlement: the Timeline of key events. There were 10,000 parishes in England at this time so this shows that the religious settlement was largely successful. In the House of Lords, all the bishops voted against it, but they were joined by only one lay peer. It is also true that many preachers simply carried on as before hoping not to be noticed by the authorities - who in some cases were sympathetic at a local level. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. [81] In 1580, the first Jesuit priests came to England. His rise to power has been identified with a "conservative reaction" against Puritanism. Elizabeth's first Parliament was inaugurated on 25 January 1559. [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. Bishops Watson of Lincoln and White of Winchester were imprisoned in the Tower. This change of title placated those who did not feel that a woman could be the head of the church, and the act passed fairly easily. One thing Elizabeth did insist upon was to reinstate herself as head of the Church. Protestantism would also create a fear of persecution among Englands Catholics. The fine was one shilling, then about one day's labour for a skilled worker, but few were collected in practice. 'The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was successfully established in the years 1558-1603. . 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. Gradually, however, parishes complied as bishops exerted pressure. In his private chapel, he added ceremonies and formulas not authorised in the prayer book, such as burning incense. This bill would have returned the Church to its position at the death of Henry VIII rather than to that when Edward VI died. Bacon outlined the course to reach this goal by explaining that members were not to insult each other with terms like 'heretic', 'schismatic' or 'Papist'. Elizabeth I Sieve PortraitQuentin Metsys the Younger (Public Domain). [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. [107], The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 allowed for the restoration of the Elizabethan Settlement as well. It included the Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles. Protestants thought the settlement did not provide enough reform. By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Many of these instructions concerned preachers who now had to have a license issued by a bishop and who were obliged to hold at least one service each month or lose that license. [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.
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