The Reformation In England

The Reformation In England by Raymond Edwards CTS Concise Histories

Like many English Catholics, I suspect, I have always vaguely thought that Henry Vll founded the Church of England in order to break with Rome and indulge his taste for serial monogamy.  Added to that are snippets remembered from A Man For All Seasons, and of course The Stripping of the Altars, with vaguer memories of Cranmer's Godly Order.

The truth is somewhat more complicated than that, of course.  Henry was not a Protestant theologically, and Protestantism didn't really take hold in England for a long time after his death.

Raymond Edwards takes us through the complex politics of the Reformation in a clear, lucid and interesting way.  Starting by acknowledging and dismissing the Whig received view of the period, he then outlines the background to the events in England, by describing what was going on in Europe, with particular reference to Luther and Calvin.  Given the recent coining of the term Taleban Catholic to describe someone faithful to Tradition and the Magisterium, I was amused to read his comment on Calvin: 'The best recent practical analogy to his puritanical rule over Geneva is that of the Taleban in Afghanistan.'


He then closes in on England, describing the state of the Church, the hostile reaction here to Luther and his ideas, and the King's Great Cause: his desperate desire for a male heir.  The roles of Wolsey, Cromwell and Cranmer are explained as the drama unfolds to the Act of Supremacy and the Catholic Martyrs.

He then outlines the popular resistance to the imposed changes, the devastation caused by the suppression of the monasteries on largely spurious grounds, the Pilgrimage of Grace and the treachery with which it was overcome, the death of Henry (1547) and the reign of the infant (9 year old) Edward Vl.  Here Seymour comes to the fore: as Lord Protector, and with a huge vested interest in the 'reform' as he and his supporters had profited enormously from the sacking of the monasteries. It was at this time that the attack on traditional Catholicism in practice really accelerated.  'In the summer of 1547, Injunctions were issued ordering images to be destroyed, prohibiting feast and fast days. the use of the Rosary, the burning of lights in Churches except for two on the altar, and all religious processions whatever.  This was followed by the imposition of the Book of Common Prayer, and the start of the campaign by Ridley to remove altars and replace them with tables.  The evidence suggests that all of these reforms were unpopular with vast parts of the country and had to be imposed by main force.

Mr Edwards then outlines the restoration of Catholicism on the accession of Mary (1553), and the enthusiastic response of the people to that restoration.  Her untimely death in 1558 was a disaster for Catholicism in this country, as she was succeeded by Elizabeth.  The 1559 Act of Supremacy was refused by all but one of the bishops, who were deprived of their sees and were imprisoned unless they fled the country.  This was followed by the 39 Articles, the Catholic Uprising, and the Excommunication of Elizabeth.

From 1574 onwards, missionary priests began arriving in England, risking their lives to preserve the Faith in this country and minister to the Faithful.  Mr Edwards considers the evidence for the continuing Catholicity of England even under this hostile regime, but by the 1580s, it was only a remnant that still practiced the Faith.  Then, of course, during the reign of James l there was the notorious Gunpowder Plot.

This is a very readable and clear account of a fascinating period, of seminal importance to English Catholics - very highly recommended!