Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Henry and the Catholic Church (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
How Important was the Reformation to England?- Summary
The Reformation began with Martin Luther's actions in Germany in 1517. Luther was a monk who disagreed with some of the Catholic Church's teachings and corruption within the church. He thought people should be able to read the Bible in their own language. He also didn't agree with how the Church sold indulgences. As a protest, Luther wrote down his ideas and nailed them to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The printing press helped spread Protestantism across Europe. Multiple European countries had to deal with protests against the Catholic Church. This caused religious tensions and conflicts across Europe.
In England, the Reformation began in 1532 when King Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon. By 1534, Henry had legally rejected the Pope's authority and split with Rome. The English Reformation didn't just change religion, it also changed society. Henry and his minister Thomas Cromwell closed down many Catholic monasteries and took their land and money. The decision also caused decades of religious turmoil. England's official religion switched between Protestantism and Catholicism numerous times based on the beliefs of later monarchs.
What is a Catholic?
Catholicism is a version of Christianity
Catholic beliefs in Tudor times
Religious issues | Catholic beliefs |
What should the hierarchy of the Church look like? | The Pope in Rome is the Head of the Church. There is a structure underneath of cardinals, archbishops and bishops to manage the Church |
What should the inside of churches look like? | Churches represent the glory of God. Churches should have stained-glass windows and expensive icons such as statues and pictures |
What are the roles and restrictions of the clergy? | Priests are not allowed to marry. They should wear special robes called vestments. Their vestments should be beautifully decorated with colour. During Confession, a priest can forgive a person’s sins. Priests could also shorten someone's time in purgatory through chantries (prayers for the dead) and indulgences |
What should the Bible and church services look like? | The Bible and church services should be in Latin. The service of Mass creates a miracle. The priest makes the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus |
What is a Protestant?
Protestantism is a different and newer version of Christianity
Protestant beliefs in Tudor times
Religious issues | Protestant beliefs |
What should the hierarchy of the Church look like? | The King should be the Head of the Church. Archbishops and bishops help the monarch run the Church |
What should the inside of churches look like? | Spending lots of money on churches goes against the teachings of Christianity. Churches should have an altar and stained-glass windows but no icons |
What are the roles and restrictions of the clergy? | Priests have the choice to marry. They should wear special vestments but they should have limited decoration. Priests cannot forgive sins or guarantee a person's place in heaven. This power belongs to God alone |
What should the Bible and church services look like? | The Bible and church services in England should be in English so everyone can access the word of God. The bread and wine in Communion represent the Last Supper. It does not become the body and blood of Jesus |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
A great way to remember the connection between Protestants and Catholics is to break down the word ‘Protestant’. The root of the word is ‘protest’. The Protestants ‘protested’ against the Catholic Church. This should also help you spell ‘Protestant’, as many students struggle with this spelling.
The Reformation in Europe
Protestantism began in Germany in 1517
Martin Luther, a monk, nailed The Ninety-Five Theses on the door of his local church in Wittenberg
The Ninety-Five Theses contained his complaints about the Church’s practices, such as indulgences
Luther set up his own church
The Catholic Church called any Christians who joined Luther’s church a Protestant
This movement spread across Europe
Henry as ‘Defender of the Faith’
At the start of his reign, Henry was a devout Catholic
Henry wrote a book called In Defence of the Seven Sacraments
In response, in 1521, Pope Leo X called Henry the 'Defender of the Faith'
Henry's chief minister, Wolsey, burned Luther's books in St Paul's churchyard
This was a public statement of the government's hatred for Protestantism
Reasons for Henry’s Campaign Against the Catholic Church
By the 1530s, Henry began to turn against the Catholic Church
Henry began a campaign against the Catholic Church because:
The Pope refused to annul Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon
Henry had advisers who were open to Protestant ideas
Henry liked William Tyndale's viewpoint that a king should rule the Church rather than a Pope
There were allegations of the Church being corrupt
Henry disliked that the Church was taking wealth that could go to the Crown and spending it unwisely
Worked Example
‘The main reason for Henry’s campaign against the Pope and the Catholic Church was his wish to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.’ How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
16 marks
Partial answer:
Overall, I believe that Henry turned against the Catholic Church mainly because of his wish to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This is because Henry could have easily ignored his advisers and the corruption of the Church. When the Pope refused to do what Henry wanted, it became a threat to Henry's power. Therefore, Henry's need for the annulment had more significance than the other factors. It resulted in Henry taking the extreme measure of breaking away from the Pope and creating the Church of England.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The example above is a conclusion to this question. You may notice that it compares all three factors and explains why the annulment was the most significant. This means that the conclusion is justified with evidence.
To complete this answer, you should add three well-explained PEEL paragraphs that explain the reasons why Henry turned against the Catholic Church.
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