8-4Religion

WHAT ROLE DID RELIGION PLAY IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND? WHAT CONFLICTS DID RELIGION CAUSE? //Answer prepared by Nish K.// The main religion that was practiced in Elizabethan England was Anglican. According to www.bbc.com, the roots of Anglican religion in England dated back to the Reformation period. King Henry VIII is the one who altered the religion in England from Catholicism to Anglicanism. Henry wanted to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon because he wanted a son and she could only bear one daughter. So he wanted to marry a different woman who would bear him a boy. His several attempts to persuade the pope were to no avail. The pope believed the king's demands were against God's will and against the catholic religion. This led the king to pass the Act of Succession and then the Act of Supremacy. These acts recognized that the king was the one and only supreme head of the Church of England. This position was called //Anglicana Ecclesia// which means //Defender of the Faith//. It was law that people conform to the religion that the Church of England approved of. Thus, people were forced to practice Anglicanism whether they wanted to or not. The king caused a huge, world changing event that led to continual conflict throughout history just so he could marry his lover.

Religion in Elizabethan England played a major role in society. The two main religions that were practiced in Elizabethan England were Catholicism and Protestantism (Anglicanism). Most people made every decision by asking whether it violated their religion. Even though religion was key in society, it also caused some problems. According to http://elizabethan.org, civil unrest broke out because of different religious beliefs. Religious and other conflicts caused England to go at war with foreign countries like Spain. Not conforming to a certain religion also had its consequences. There was a fine for not conforming to Anglicanism and not going to church on Sunday. It was against the law to be a Catholic priest in England or be a Jesuit. It was considered treason to convert to Catholicism or attempt to convert anyone else. The penalty for any high treason is that you will be hanged, drawn, and quartered. According to www.pbs.org "Victims would first be dragged from their prison to the place of execution on a wooden hurdle pulled by horses, suffering the contempt and abuse of the crowd as they went. The whole process would be conducted publicly, often at the site of an established market or meeting place, like Tyburn (close to where Marble Arch stands today), Smithfield (which aptly would become a famous meat market), Cheapside or St. Giles. The victims would there be hanged by the neck for a while, and then cut down while still alive. Next the executioner would castrate the victim, slit them open and haul out internal organs before setting fire to them. You would have to hope for the victim's sake that they died early on in this process, because after that things got really unpleasant. Taking a butcher's knife, the executioner would begin to carve up the body, separating limbs from the torso, and of course the head from the shoulders. These body parts would then be taken to high profile areas - usually gateways into the city or river crossings like London Bridge - and displayed on long poles to warn travelers of the terrible fate that awaited traitors." It seems that people were more emotional and more protective about their religion. If someone were to besmirch and same something bad about their religion, that person would stop at nothing to protect the honor of his religion. "There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith, all else is a dispute over trifles." This is a famous quote from Queen Elizabeth 1 of England that describes an unheard of quality at her time that she possessed; religious tolerance. According to www.elizabethi.org, Elizabeth's main concern was about maintaining the peace and well being of the country. The only time the queen used religious persecution is when other religious groups threatened this well being and peace. Elizabeth designed a church that would appeal to both Catholics and Protestants to keep the peace and tranquility. Queen Elizabeth's catholic faith tolerance and equal established church has led historians to doubt the queen's commitment to her religion. Though she was tolerant of other faiths, she did want people to naturally switch to Protestantism. She hoped that her established church would convince people to switch to Protestantism and that Catholicism would naturally fade away. Her plan was successful as Protestants grew in the English population and Catholics were a minority by 1603. Queen Elizabeth showed her seriousness in her beliefs by writing her own prayers for people. The queen had her own private chapel inmost of her palaces where she prayed everyday. All these facts prove that the Queen Elizabeth was a committed protestant who respected her faith and took it seriously.

Works Cited Elizabeth 1 and The Church." //http://www.elizabethi.org/us/elizabethanchurch/queenandchurch.html//. 7 Apr 2009

"Execution-Elizabethan Style." //http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/events/event87.html//. 2003. MayaVision International. 7 Apr 2009 http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/cofe/cofe_1.shtml

Ros, Maggi. "More Comparative Religion: Calvinists." //http://elizabethan.org/compendium/28.html//. 26-03-2008. 7 Apr 2009

Ros, Maggi. "Religion." //http://elizabethan.org/compendium/7.html//. 29-03-2008. 7 Apr 2009

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