Settlement FAQs

was the elizabethan religious settlement fair

by Ariane McCullough Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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To assess how fair the settlement was it is important to examine how each religion would have reacted. In her religious settlement Queen Elizabeth I tried to balance the religions out. When Elizabeth came to the throne in 1553 she faced a number of problems, but no one problem was of greater concern than religion.

Full Answer

What is Elizabethan Religious Settlement?

Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) that brought the English Reformation to a conclusion.

Was Elizabeth's religious settlement a successful compromise?

I agree to an extent that Elizabeth's religious settlement was a successful compromise because there was much about the settlement that was accepted by Catholics however there was opposition from Puritans as well as some Catholics in England and abroad.

What happened during the Elizabethan Settlement?

The Elizabethan Settlement, sometimes called the Revolution of 1559, was an attempt to end this religious turmoil. The Act of Supremacy of 1558 re-established the Church of England's independence from Rome, and Parliament conferred on Elizabeth the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

What happened to the Catholic Church during the Elizabethan era?

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. The Elizabethan settlement was further consolidated by the adoption of a moderately Protestant doctrinal statement called the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion.

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Why was the Religious Settlement a problem for Elizabeth?

The Act of Supremacy This made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church. The term 'Supreme Head' was avoided because Christ was seen as Head of the Church. There was a strict prohibition of foreign leadership in the English church, so denying Elizabeth's position in the Church was considered treason.

Why was the Elizabethan religious settlement important?

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 was designed to settle the divide between Catholics and Protestants and address the differences in services and beliefs.

Why was there opposition to the Elizabethan religious settlement?

Many Catholics in England were not happy with Elizabeth's Settlement. They had enjoyed religious freedom under Queen Mary, Elizabeth's sister, and they were now being asked to change or deny their beliefs. Many couldn't make this compromise and left to live in exile abroad.

What was the result of the Elizabethan settlement?

The Elizabethan Settlement was an attempt to end this religious turmoil. The Act of Supremacy of 1558 re-established the Church of England's independence from Rome, and Parliament conferred on Elizabeth the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

What impact did the Religious Settlement have?

The Religious Settlement aimed to ease the tensions created by the religious divisions of the previous 25 years. It tried to take elements from both Protestantism and Catholicism, but since many Protestants had become MPs, the Settlement was perhaps more Protestant than Elizabeth would have liked.

What did Catholics dislike about the Religious Settlement?

In particular there was opposition from Puritan and Roman Catholic worshippers. The Religious Settlement offended some members of the nobility, leading to the Northern Rebellion. It also increased tension with foreign powers, many of whom were Catholic and wary of any state that became protestant.

What was religion like in Elizabethan times?

Some Elizabethans were strong supporters of the Protestant reformation, some were staunchly Catholic, some were ambivalent, and some still practiced a stricter form of Christianity, Puritanism.

How was the Religious Settlement enforced?

The Church was responsible for helping to enforce the religious settlement. Visitations were inspections of churches and clergy by bishops to ensure that everyone took the oath of supremacy and were following the terms of the religious settlement.

Was the Elizabethan settlement successful?

EXP:Therefore because Elizabeth made large compromises with Catholics, many accepted the new church and so Elizabeth's Religious settlement appeared successful indeed.

What religious changes did Elizabeth make?

1559: Queen Elizabeth wished to create a new moderate religious settlement derived from Henry VIII's break from Rome. She established the Church of England in 1559.

How was the Religious Settlement enforced?

The Church was responsible for helping to enforce the religious settlement. Visitations were inspections of churches and clergy by bishops to ensure that everyone took the oath of supremacy and were following the terms of the religious settlement.

How did the Council of Trent help Protestants?

At the Council of Trent the Catholic authorities attempted to clean up the act of the Protestants by trying to persuade them to believe in all seven sacraments and reaffirmed this belief as well. Many other beliefs were reaffirmed as well; beliefs such as Monasteries, Miracles, Saints, Holy Relics, etc. Protestant beliefs constantly differed with a good amount of the beliefs from the Catholics, which caused it to branch off as a completely different religion itself, however the purpose of this council was to set the Protestants straight by reading to them doctrines from the Catholic Church, and other biblical beliefs. Although it might not have worked completely, it did subside some tensions between both

Why did King Henry VIII establish the Catholic Church?

During King Henry VIII’s rule in the sixteenth century, the Church of England was formed. He established the church because the Pope of the Catholic Church would not grant him a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon. The Anglican church had many similarities to the Catholic church: similar rituals and a bible titled the Book of Common Prayere (Reformation 9).

What percentage of Catholic women have used contraception?

In contrast, Lisa Miller states “98 percent of Catholic women have used contraception in their lifetimes. To hold the consciences of a few loud voices over the private needs of families is not just unfair. It is unconscionable”. While in the article, Liberal Catholics challenge bishops on Obama’s contraception rule, James Salt of Catholics United states “The bishops blanket opposition appears to serve the interests of a political agenda, not the needs of the American people”. Some right wing Catholics do not believe they should be forced into offering a service not accepted religiously.

What was the Elizabethan settlement?

The Elizabethan Settlement, sometimes called the Revolution of 1559, was an attempt to end this religious turmoil. The Act of Supremacy of 1558 re-established the Church of England's independence from Rome, and Parliament conferred on Elizabeth the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Act of Uniformity of 1559 re-introduced the ...

What was the name of the religion that was forced out of the Church of England after the Restoration?

After the Restoration in 1660, the Settlement was restored, and the Puritans were forced out of the Church of England. Anglicanism became defined by the via media or middle way between the religious extremes of Catholicism and Protestantism; Arminianism and Calvinism; and high church and low church .

What was the dominant theology within the Church of England?

Throughout the reigns of Elizabeth and James I, Calvinism was the predominant theology within the Church of England. The Settlement failed to end religious disputes. While most of the population gradually conformed to the established church, a minority of recusants remained loyal Roman Catholics.

What were the thirty nine articles of religion?

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. In 1571, Convocation finalised the Thirty-nine Articles. It was given statutory force by the Subscription Act, which required all new ministers to affirm their agreement with this confessional statement.

What was the Queen's first goal?

When the Queen's first Parliament opened in January 1559, its chief goal was the difficult task of reaching a religious settlement. Twenty bishops (all Roman Catholics) sat in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual, and the Lords in general were opposed to change. In February, the House of Commons passed a Reformation Bill that would restore royal supremacy as well as the 1550 Ordinal and a slightly revised 1552 Prayer Book. 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.

What was the significance of Mary I's half sister becoming Queen?

The veneration of religious images ( icons, roods, statues) and relics were suppressed, and iconoclasm was sanctioned by the government. Mary I, Elizabeth's half-sister, became queen in 1553. She reversed the religious innovations introduced by her father and brother.

How many bishops did Queen Elizabeth need?

Episcopal appointments. To enforce her religious policies, Queen Elizabeth needed bishops willing to cooperate. Seven bishops, including Cardinal Pole, Mary's Archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1558 and needed to be replaced.

Subject knowledge

Elizabeth I was Protestant but aimed to solve the divisive religious policies of Edward VI and Mary I.

Persecution and Resistance

Despite the changes, England was, first and foremost, a Protestant country under Elizabeth I.

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Overview

The Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603). 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 Angl…

Background

Elizabeth I inherited a kingdom bitterly divided over matters of religion. This division began during the reign of her father, Henry VIII. After his wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to produce a male heir, Henry applied to the pope for an annulment of his marriage. When his request was denied, Henry separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church and claimed that he, rather …

Elizabeth's accession

Elizabeth's religious views were Protestant, though "peculiarly conservative". She also kept many of her religious views private, which can make it difficult to determine what she believed. She disliked married clergy, held Lutheran views on Eucharistic presence, and there is evidence she preferred the more ceremonial 1549 prayer book. At certain times, the Queen made her religious preferences clear, such as on Christmas Day 1558, when before Mass she instructed Bishop Ow…

Legislation

When the Queen's first Parliament opened in January 1559, its chief goal was the difficult task of reaching a religious settlement. Twenty bishops (all Roman Catholics) sat in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual, and the Lords in general were opposed to change. In February, the House of Commons passed a Reformation Bill that would restore royal supremacy as well as the 1550 Ordinal and …

Implementation

To enforce her religious policies, Queen Elizabeth needed bishops willing to cooperate. Seven bishops, including Cardinal Pole, Mary's Archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1558 and needed to be replaced. The remaining bishops were all Catholics appointed during Mary's reign, and Elizabeth's advisers hoped they could be persuaded to continue serving. Ultimately, all but two bishops (t…

Thirty-nine Articles and the Homilies

The Elizabethan settlement was further consolidated by the adoption of a moderately Protestant doctrinal statement called the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. 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 Thirty-nine Articles were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith but of the position of the Church of …

Reception

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. The bishops struggled for decades to impose the prayer book and Injunctions on reluctant parishes. "For a while, it was possible to sustain an attenuated Catholicism within the parish framewor…

Aftermath

In 1603, the King of Scotland inherited the English crown as James I. The Church of Scotland was even more strongly Reformed, having a presbyterian polity and John Knox's liturgy, the Book of Common Order. James was himself a moderate Calvinist, and the Puritans hoped the King would move the English Church in the Scottish direction. James, however, did the opposite, forcing the Scottish Chur…

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