A Level Elizabeth Religion Revision...

1. Elizabethan
Religious Settlement
Archbishop Parker & the Vesitarian Controversy and The
Settlement in Action

2. Archbishop Parker
1565 – Elizabeth wrote to Parker, demanding he use his authority to ensure rites and practices of the church did
not deviate from the 1559 settlement.
 WHY?

Elizabeth wished to defend her settlement

Elizabeth wasn’t prepared to intervene in an administrative matter of church parker was pleased to have
religious backing

Effects were to be far reaching….
 EFFECTS?

Parker published his advertisements 1566 attempt to make a clear statement of what was expected in terms
of doctrine, administration of prayer and clerical dress.

Elizabeth stressed the importance of ideas which would preserve aspects of continuity e.g. traditional fonts
for baptism

Issues of clerical vestments – to compromise with the protestant. Settlement 1559 insisted surplice to be
worn for services.

3. Parker’s Fashion Show…
•
Parker held a ‘curious fashion parade’ for 110 clergy
members at Lambeth Palace. 37 members refused to wear
the approved vestments as they were ‘too Catholic,’ these
members were removed from their positions. Special
vestments reinforced the idea that ordination made the
clergy a special caste – an idea central to Catholicism.

4. Dress Standards

Decision about the surplice was made at the monarch’s whim, it was not a suitable way to
regulate church doctrine.

A particular standard of dress was necessary for the preservation of civil order which was
within the monarch’s rights to enforce.

Adiaphora – a Protestant theory that certain rites and actions are matters of indifference in
religion since not forbidden by the Scriptures. This was accepted by reformers abroad at the
time – the concept gained acceptability among Protestants in England.

This led to the 1st movement of Puritans setting up their own separate church which carried
suspicion of Anabaptism, which was hated across Europe, and threatened Government and
Property.

Anabaptists – were hardline protestants, who believed in adult baptism as opposed to
infant baptism. They rejected the idea that the state had a role in religious life, they refused
to pay tithes. This was the focus of hostility in Europe.

1567 - Saw the first moves towards a separate Puritan Church, this carried strong fears
amongst Government.

Elizabeth didn’t defend the advertisements – she was not prepared to defend an interference
by the Bishops in imposing regulations which contradicted her own injunctions.

5. The Settlement in Action
Archbishop
 Elizabeth chose a primarily Catholic model of :
Bishops
 Archbishop Bishops Ministers Worshipers.Ministers
Worshipers
 The Marian bishops were invited to join a new church, in an
attempt to promote continuity but soon after, many of the
bishops either left or were sacked.
 The 1559 Act of Exchange – this act enabled Elizabeth to
exchange religious property she owned. This was in an
attempt to deprive the church of considerable wealth,
however its initial attempt was to deprive only Marian
Bishops of their wealth, in an attempt to force them to
cooperate. This act also prevented Bishops from
preventing land leases for more than 21 years, which
increased the Queen’s patronage.

6. Protestant Injunctions

Protestant-based injunctions:
•
Clergy were to teach the royal supremacy
•
Clergy were to challenge the Pope’s usurpation of the right of the monarch
government.
•
Processions were banned
•
Recusants were to be denounced to the Privy Council or to the local J.P.s
•
Clergy were allowed to be married
•
All churches were to have a copy
of the bible in English.

7. Catholic Injunctions
 Catholic Injunctions:
•
Worshipers were to bow at the name of Jesus Christ
•
Clergy were required to wear a surplice
•
Erasmus's paraphrases were to be kept
in the Church
•
Evangelising was not permitted
(unless the preacher held a licence)

8. How far did Elizabeth act as ‘Mother of the
Church of England?’

1562 – Bishop Jewel outlines the Criticisms made by Roman
Catholics :
•
Church of England was merely a ‘Parliamentary Religion’
•
A lay person (Elizabeth) was given the right to make decisions on
spiritual matters. (Not true but Catholics believed it)

Jewel defended the Church :
•
Old testament Monarchs had served God by protecting their faith,
rebuking religious leaders and pointing out their mistakes.
•
Queens were the ‘nursing mothers of the faithful.’ Elizabeth could
not however influence doctrine.
•
Elizabeth was in a uniquely well-placed position to influence and
direct the Church; this was acknowledged by supporters &
opponents.

9. How far did Elizabeth act to
defend ‘her’ church?
 FINANCIAL MATTERS
•
Act of Exchange – stripped the Church of financial
gain, this made more extreme reluctance of the
Bishops to stand up to her demands. Grindel lost his
job over it.
•
Elizabeth’s demands
problems
•
Elizabeth took advantage of the Church – all Bishops
were required to pay taxes annually to the crown. As a
result, many dioceses ended up in debt, Bishops were
imprisoned for refusing to pay.
during the 1570s as financial

10. How far did Elizabeth act to
defend ‘her’ church?
 Elizabeth did interfere with spiritual matters, and usually
negatively.
 Elizabeth was prepared to sacrifice the Archbishop of
Canterbury over a political squabble : he had refused to
suppress ‘prophesyings’ – gatherings of clergy to train
junior clerics in preaching – which were generally effective.
 Elizabeth’s problem was that she feared mass gatherings
for fear of subversion.
 Elizabeth strove to prevent doctrine being defined too
closely – demonstrating her desire to keep the church as
inclusive as possible – for Political reasons.

11. How far did Elizabeth act to
defend ‘her’ church?
 1563 – Archbishop Parker & Convocation wrote
the thirty-nine articles – a definitive state of
doctrine. Some articles reflected Calvinist ideas.
Eg. Article 17 – ‘sweet comfort of predestination.’
 Elizabeth refused to allow Parliament to ratify
them – the articles contained attacks on
Catholicism, which she was not prepared to allow.

12. Conclusion…
 Elizabeth’s support for the Church was limited, and generally
subordinate to the political wishes of the Queen. Defending the
Church was an effective way of keeping Elizabeth’s authority
enhanced. Elizabeth preferred a Protestant settlement with a
traditional Catholic-style hierarchy and traditional dress. For
political reasons, Elizabeth let Catholicism die out slowly rather
than creating discord and disunity by aggressively stamping it
out.

13. Pin the vestments on
the Priest…
 Now you must try and place
the correct religious
vestments on the priest…
 Use the handouts you have
been given…
 You have exactly 3 minutes to
complete the task!

14. Place the vestments on the Priests…