Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Impact of the English Reformation on the Church (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
How Protestant was the Church in England by 1540? - Summary
By 1540, the Church in England had undergone Protestant reforms, although it retained some Catholic elements. Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's chief minister, played a key role in promoting Protestantism. He passed many religious reforms. These included the Royal Injunctions and the Bishops' Book. These measures aimed to weaken Catholic practices, slowly changing the Church of England to Protestantism. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer also contributed to the Protestant transformation of the Church. Cranmer encouraged the publication of the Book of Common Prayer in 1549. This introduced Protestant practices and emphasised the use of English in church services. Despite these Protestant reforms, the Church remained influenced by Henry VIII's own beliefs. Henry broke with Rome because he wanted the authority of the Pope. However. Henry remained a Catholic. He continued many traditional Catholic practices and beliefs. He often resisted radical Protestant ideas. |
The English Church in 1534
The Act of Supremacy gave Henry ultimate authority over the Church in England
Many of Henry's advisers saw this as a chance to persuade Henry to either:
Reform the Church and make it reflect Protestant practices
They wanted to remove Catholic practices like pilgrimages and transubstantiation
They could not suggest changes to the Church that were too extreme
Or
Maintain the traditional Catholic elements of the Church
They still had to accept Henry's royal supremacy
Who were the key reformers and Catholics in Tudor England?
Key reformers | Key Catholics |
|---|---|
Thomas Cromwell | Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk |
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer | Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester |
The Work of Thomas Cranmer & Cromwell
Cromwell used his position as Vicar-General to bring about gradual Protestant change to the Church
Cranmer's role as Archbishop of Canterbury was important for implementing Cromwell's reforms
Reforms to the Church by 1538
Reform | Explanation of the reform |
|---|---|
The Act of Ten Articles | The act reduced the Catholic seven sacraments to three: Communion, baptism and penance |
Royal Injunctions, 1536 | Priest had to speak positively of the royal supremacy. They also had to discourage pilgrimages. The law also reduced the number of Holy Days celebrated by the Church |
Bishops' Book, 1537 | The Bishops' Book attempted to make all priests act the same. It stated that the main role of the priest was to preach. The book downplayed Catholic beliefs |
Royal Injunctions, 1538 | Every church had to have an English Bible. It was radical as it insisted all relics, statues, holy images and pilgrimage sites be destroyed |
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the reforms to the Church from 1532-1538
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the reforms to the Church from 1532-1538 was the attempt to reduce the sacraments (1). The Act of Ten Articles reduced the sacraments from seven to three (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering the ‘Describe one feature of…’ question, two four marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
Henry's Catholic Faith
Henry became uncomfortable with Cromwell's reforms
He felt that the reforms had made the Church too Protestant
By 1539, it was clear that Henry was still a Catholic
What was the Church like by 1540?
The Church in England had many Protestant elements
The downfall of Cromwell reduced the influence of Protestantism in England
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