How far do you agree that the key turning point in the relationship between Church
and State in the years 1485-1603 was the Act of Supremacy 1534?
I largely disagree that the 1534 Act of Supremacy Act was the key turning point in the
relationship between Church and State. If we were to define the ‘key turning point’ to mean
the result of long lasting change throughout the Tudor reign, then it is clear that while the Act
of Supremacy had altered the relationship for many years, Mary had the ability to undo the
changes made, and it was rather the English Prayer book, or the 1559 Act of Supremacy
that had a more significant influence on the relationship.
he 1534 Act of Supremacy had been passed by Henry VIII in his quest for an annulment of
T
his marriage from Catherine of Aragon. It had officially declared the monarch’s power over
the English Catholic Church, replacing the Pope, ultimately making Henry the Supreme
Head of the Church of England. This was a clear turning point in the relationship between
Church and state; Henry’s father, Henry VII, had a strong and largely harmonious
relationship with the Church and the Pope, so much that he was able to have his own
candidate for the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton. The Church was also fundamental
in securing Henry VII’s place on the throne - his reign was by divine right, and he was
supported by God for his victory at the Battle of Bosworth. Under Henry VIII’s Act of
Supremacy, the relationship between the two was no longer harmonious, but rather based
on the power of the monarch; the church lost its independence and was now subject to royal
control. This had allowed Henry, who had control over the finances, administration and legal
powers of the Church to appoint his Chief Minister, Thomas Cromwell, as Vicegerent in
Spirituals in 1535, empowering him to run the Church, moving it in a more Protestant
direction. This shows how the relationship had clearly changed, and had sustained until
Mary’s reign from 1553-58, where she restored the power of the papacy in her Act of
Parliament in 1553, returning England to Rome, with the Pope as the Head of the Church.
owever, the 1534 Act of Supremacy can be seen as just the culmination of a series of
H
events for Henry’s annulment, and the events that took place after, such as the impact of the
dissolution of monasteries in 1536 and 1539, which removed all religious houses from
England, and their lands passed to the Crown, were more significant. The Act had only
confirmed and legitimised the changing relationship and process of changes from the 1920s,
when Henry began his break from Rome, shown through acts such as the 1533 Act in
Restraint of Appeals, Act in Conditional Restraint of Annates (1532) and the Submission of
the Clergy (1532), all of which had limited the Pope’s power and influence, and rather
introduced Henry’s power over the church and clergy. This displays that the Act itself wasn’t
a key turning point, and therefore other factors must be considered. Furthermore, while the
Act of 10 Articles that Henry had passed in 1536 had moved the Church in a more
Protestant direction, with the reformation of the doctrine and Church ceremonies, the Act of
6 Articles, passed in 1539 had almost reversed these decisions and changes, presenting
Henry’s potential changing views and how the Act of Supremacy as a whole had little long
lasting change to the relationship between the Church and State, and therefore wasn’t a key
turning point.
nder Edward VI, Henry’s son, the 1549 Act of Uniformity had been passed, arguably a
U
more significant turning point in the Church and State relationship. This had introduced
Thomas Cranmer’s new English Book of Common Prayer, and made it compulsory in all
and State in the years 1485-1603 was the Act of Supremacy 1534?
I largely disagree that the 1534 Act of Supremacy Act was the key turning point in the
relationship between Church and State. If we were to define the ‘key turning point’ to mean
the result of long lasting change throughout the Tudor reign, then it is clear that while the Act
of Supremacy had altered the relationship for many years, Mary had the ability to undo the
changes made, and it was rather the English Prayer book, or the 1559 Act of Supremacy
that had a more significant influence on the relationship.
he 1534 Act of Supremacy had been passed by Henry VIII in his quest for an annulment of
T
his marriage from Catherine of Aragon. It had officially declared the monarch’s power over
the English Catholic Church, replacing the Pope, ultimately making Henry the Supreme
Head of the Church of England. This was a clear turning point in the relationship between
Church and state; Henry’s father, Henry VII, had a strong and largely harmonious
relationship with the Church and the Pope, so much that he was able to have his own
candidate for the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton. The Church was also fundamental
in securing Henry VII’s place on the throne - his reign was by divine right, and he was
supported by God for his victory at the Battle of Bosworth. Under Henry VIII’s Act of
Supremacy, the relationship between the two was no longer harmonious, but rather based
on the power of the monarch; the church lost its independence and was now subject to royal
control. This had allowed Henry, who had control over the finances, administration and legal
powers of the Church to appoint his Chief Minister, Thomas Cromwell, as Vicegerent in
Spirituals in 1535, empowering him to run the Church, moving it in a more Protestant
direction. This shows how the relationship had clearly changed, and had sustained until
Mary’s reign from 1553-58, where she restored the power of the papacy in her Act of
Parliament in 1553, returning England to Rome, with the Pope as the Head of the Church.
owever, the 1534 Act of Supremacy can be seen as just the culmination of a series of
H
events for Henry’s annulment, and the events that took place after, such as the impact of the
dissolution of monasteries in 1536 and 1539, which removed all religious houses from
England, and their lands passed to the Crown, were more significant. The Act had only
confirmed and legitimised the changing relationship and process of changes from the 1920s,
when Henry began his break from Rome, shown through acts such as the 1533 Act in
Restraint of Appeals, Act in Conditional Restraint of Annates (1532) and the Submission of
the Clergy (1532), all of which had limited the Pope’s power and influence, and rather
introduced Henry’s power over the church and clergy. This displays that the Act itself wasn’t
a key turning point, and therefore other factors must be considered. Furthermore, while the
Act of 10 Articles that Henry had passed in 1536 had moved the Church in a more
Protestant direction, with the reformation of the doctrine and Church ceremonies, the Act of
6 Articles, passed in 1539 had almost reversed these decisions and changes, presenting
Henry’s potential changing views and how the Act of Supremacy as a whole had little long
lasting change to the relationship between the Church and State, and therefore wasn’t a key
turning point.
nder Edward VI, Henry’s son, the 1549 Act of Uniformity had been passed, arguably a
U
more significant turning point in the Church and State relationship. This had introduced
Thomas Cranmer’s new English Book of Common Prayer, and made it compulsory in all
