8-5Religion

//Answer prepared by Chloe K. // During the reign of the Pope, the main religion in Elizabethan England was Catholicism. King Henry VIII was hoping to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon. The priest would not annul their marriage because it was against the Catholic religion. Henry sought to make himself the Head of the Church in England in order to divorce Catherine and marry his love Ann Boleyn. Henry fought his way through the Pope and the Catholic religion. Soon after he gained some power he proceeded to fired many employees of the Church to expand his power and hired new workers that supported his views on religion. King Henry the VIII’s adjustments to the Church resulted in the new English church splitting from the Roman Catholic Church and establishing a new religion known as Protestant thus allowing Henry to divorce his wife. After the Act of Supremacy in 1534, which is in broader terms, established the English monarch as the official head of the Church of England, King Henry the VIII came to power. He would completely replace Roman Catholicism and the Pope.

Religion was enforced in all stages of education. In Petty school, the first stage of schooling is similar to modern day elementary school. The children were expected to memorize passages from the main Elizabethan book. This was the text book used to teach all children in Petty school in Elizabethan England. The passages aim was to, in summary, enforce their faith to God and their devotion to their religion. According to //__Elizabethan England__//, under “Elizabethan Family Life-Religion”, in everyday life, after the transfer to Protestant beliefs, the people of Elizabethan England were required to attend monthly prayer service. People were charged, arrested, and fined if they didn’t attend their prayer service.

Many who were in the midst of this abrupt change in religion found it very challenging to give up their Catholic faith. Most of them followed suit and gave up their past ways and customs. Others though, would publically display their dislike of the switch and also continue to actively practice and promote Catholicism. Punishments and fines were established for these particular people who were unwilling to conform. These non-conforming Catholics were called recusants and were guilty of recusancy. As said by //__Renaissance, The Elizabethan World Life in Tudor England__// “Life in Elizabethan England 7: Religion", Maggi Ros states that there was absolutely no legal way for Catholics to practice their faith. Citizens could be fined and jailed for being caught practicing Catholicism. It was illegal to be a Catholic priest and to train or try to convert someone to become a Catholic. Converting anyone to Catholicism would result in being hanged, drawn and quartered; this was a purely cruel form of punishment with physical brutality. At any time people would be required to sign the Oath of Supremacy. This states that the Pope, a foreign power, has no and ought not to have any power in spiritual England. People would declare that it was not necessary, nor was the Pope interfering with England any longer. He had no power in religious England and only the King may have authority over the Church of England and England’s religion.

At the other end of the spectrum, another form of religion was emerging in Elizabethan England. The Puritan stronghold developed in the West Country (Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall.) They were severe, extremist, Protestants who believed in stricter discipline and simplification of the doctrine of worship. They also believed that pleasure was sinful and should be avoided at all costs. According to //__PBS__//, “In Search of Shakespeare-Puritan”, all forms of entertainment were looked down upon by the Puritans especially theatre. Many puritans called for, without success, a complete ban on such activities. Eventually Shakespeare’s theatre, “The Globe”, was pulled down and destroyed due to Puritanism. They were a natural enemy of the supporters of Catholicism. They soon became a very powerful political party in England. __Works Cited__ Ashby, Ruth. __Elizabethan England__. New York: Benchmark Books, 1999.

Dodd, A. H. __Elizabethan England__. London:Batsford: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1974.

“Elizabethan Family Life.” __Elizabethan Era__. 15 Apr. 2009 <[]>.

“In Search of Shakespeare. Puritan |. __PBS__. 2003. 09 Mar. 2009 < __ [] __ >

Ros, Maggi. “Life in Elizabethan England 7: Religion.” __Renaissance, The Elizabethan World Life in Tudor England__ 29 Mar. 2008. 09 Mar. 2009 //  < [] >

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