Did Henry VIII burn down Catholic churches?

Answer 1

No, not really. Although he did make a stand against what was seen as idolatry and also curbed the power of corrupt monasteries.

It is a myth that Henry VIII broke away from Rome because the Pope would not give him a divorce from Anne Boleyn. By the time he had asked for a divorce, the Reformation had already spread to England, and there was already great concern within his kingdom about the power wielded by many of the monasteries. They were seen as corrupt, and threatened the very fabric of society by their greed. The refusal of a divorce by the Pope was the last straw that resulted in Henry refusing the authority of the Pope and setting himself up as the supreme governor on earth under Jesus Christ (as head) of a new Protestant Church, much in the same way as Protestantism had spread across Europe under Luther, Calvin and Zwingli. The new church would be called the Church of England and would reflect the times before the corruption had spread. Though Henry died a Catholic, the Church of England remains to this day, as the Anglican Church worldwide, one of the largest protestant denominations in history.

Part of Henry's reforms was the removal of statues and other, what he called, 'idolatrous' trappings from churches - artifacts that people had begun to venerate rather than worshipping God alone. He removed from office priests who refused his reforms, replacing them with sympathetic pastors. Rather than 'burn down' Catholic churches, he maintained most, provided that they make reforms in their practices. Most, including my own church - now, of course a Church of England - are still in use today. The empty wall niches where the statues were situated are still to be seen there.

The monasteries were not so fortunate, however. Most monasteries - the ones that displayed most corruption - were dissolved and many razed to the ground. In England today there are still many monasteries and abbeys in ruined state, now preserved as ancient monuments - but also a reminder that never again will the Church show such corruption in England.