What king of England broke ties with the Catholic Church?

Answer 1

One AnswerHenry VIII did not act alone in breaking from the Roman Church, but acted on the tide of protest sweeping across Europe at the Reformation. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and many others were earlier incensed at the corruption in the Church of Rome and broke away from Rome because of its corruption, forming the protestant movement. Part of this corruption was the selling of indulgences - 'guarantees' of a set number of years off purgatory in return for large sums of money. Luther regarded the Church's claim of 'no salvation outside the Church' as a lie, and accepted Jesus' teaching and Biblical evidence that we are saved by Grace, and not by belonging to a man-made institution.

With regard to Henry, who professed the Christian faith all his life, his main concern was that the monasteries in England, part of the Church of Rome, were also becoming dens of corruption and power and betraying the Lord's name in whom they were set up. His subjects were almost rioting in the streets because of the problems there and the money that the monasteries extorted from the faithful. Something had to be done.

Henry went down in history as an unpleasant man but he was a strong and decisive king, and a lover of the arts, a skilled musician and a benevolent and wise man unless betrayed, when he acted with the decisiveness that is expected of a strong ruler. The dissolution of the monasteries was an inevitable conclusion brought about by the corrupt institutions, and the pre-reformed Roman Church that backed them. Therefore Henry closed the monasteries across the country and imprisoned or executed those who stood in his way. This incensed the Pope.

The decision of the pope not to annul Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon (to enable him to marry Anne Boleyn) was not the cause of the split as many believe, but provided Henry, at last, with the excuse he needed to ignore the authority of the pope. Far from being a 'heretic' and 'anti-Roman' as many would have him, Henry lived and died a Catholic, despite the pope excommunicating him as revenge for his non-acceptance of his authority. However, his split from Rome meant that Henry now declared Jesus Christ as the head of the Church (and not the pope) with himself as 'Supreme Governor' on earth, and the Archbishop of Canterbury its spiritual leader. This tradition has survived through to today where the Archbishop is still spiritual leader and Queen Elizabeth is still Supreme Governor under Christ.

Although Edward, Henry's ailing son, was a protestant, his reign was short-lived because of his death very young. He was replaced by Henry's elder daughter Mary, a Catholic. She reigned with abject terror (earning her the name 'Bloody Mary') who imprisoned and executed many - including women, children and priests - who dared defy the 'Holy' Catholic Church, which represented, supposedly, Christ's forgiveness and love.

After her welcome death her younger sister took over, Elizabeth I, who restored Protestantism to the country - not because the beliefs were different - they weren't, mostly, but the attitude, openness, honesty and love shown was certainly different after the corruption of the Catholic Church as it was then, and certainly different from how Mary interpreted it. The Nicene Creed was still used in its entirety in the new Church of England, as it still is today even in my own church. But the empire-building nature and power base of the catholic Church was removed. As a result of Henry's split, services in the new Church of England were said in English for the first time thanks to the Book of Common Prayer. The Bible became translated into English so that anyone who could read was able to read the scriptures without having to rely on a priest to tell them. Elizabeth's successor, James, was responsible for the Authorised version of the Bible (the 'King James' Version) still in use today.

Another AnswerDid England ever break with the Catholic Church?

'Anglicanism' means adherence to the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Church as the genuine representative of the Catholic Church.

However, when the term 'Catholic' is used, what is often meant is the 'Roman' Catholic Church and Roman Catholicism, a religion whose highest authority on earth in matters of faith, morality and their church governance is the pope.

ENGLAND'S BREAK FROM ROMAN CATHOLIC (THE POPE'S) CONTROL

There are two major features of this subject. One concerns the English Monarchy, the other is about the feelings of the people, as represented by the actions of the Parliament(s) especially during the Protestant Revolution time period.

The English Monarchy, under King Henry VIII (b. 1491 - d. 1547) certainly made a break from Rome's (the pope's) control.

However, for most of his life, Henry actually tried, often by brutal means, to suppress the Protestant Revolution that was taking place in England at the time. (Europe had similar problems)

But in 1534, for political reasons, he eventually made a break from Rome's authority. Prior to the break he was a Roman Catholic, after the break he was an English Catholic.

England's separation from the power and authority of Rome did not happen at a particular point in time. Problems had been simmering for a number of years before the split. For example, in 1529 the English Parliament passed a law which required that any clergy accused of a crime be tried in the same way as a commoner, i.e. through the normal English courts of law, and in accordance with English law, and not permitted to be tried under separate 'church' law and the ecclesiastical courts.

So, in fact, there was a chain of events, involving both the reigning Monarch, the Parliament, the clergy and other influential persons and groups which eventually led to the clear separation of the Church of England from the jurisdiction of the church of Rome. Even after the events of Henry VIII's reign and that of his successor, the 'ties and discord' between England and Rome continued, at least for another hundred years or so (e.g. Consider the Popery Act 1698), and way into the current state of affairs where Roman Catholics are still banned by Act of Parliament from being the Monarch of Britain.

[The Church of England did not come under the pope's jurisdiction until after the Norman conquest (1066). But both before and after that change of control, it remained, and has remained, as the 'Catholic Church of England' without any break in that designation and role. The 'only' change that happened during the Reformation was that the prevailing monarch's royal supremacy was accepted and that of the pope was rejected.]

Of course, now, when we say 'England' we do not necessarily think of a particular religious denomination. England is one country of many faiths. There are also many who profess no faith. Many of the latter have never 'broken' from the 'Roman Catholic Church', nor even the 'Catholic Church', as they were never members in the first place.

HOWEVER, it is also worth considering that, as (i) there are now over 4 million Roman Catholics in Britain, and that (ii) their total church attendances are growing and seem poised to overtake those of Anglicans, and that (iii) all Anglicans believe that their church is the genuine representative of the Catholic Church, then maybe 'England' is not so separate from the Catholic Church as many might imagine!

Another Answer:

1. Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. There was only one Catholic Church. There was also, at that time, the Orthodox Church but they did not call themselves: The Catholic Church. Henry VII was a secular king.

2. Henry broke from the Catholic Church specifically because the pope refused to give him an annulment from his wife, Catherine of Aragon. He wanted to marry Anne Boleyn.

3. Henry made himself the Head of the Church of England and required, often through force including death, that all British bishops and priests accept him as head of the church and reject the authority of the pope. Most did. Some, like St. Thomas More, refused and preferred death to denying the Catholic Faith.

4. Political differences as referenced above, i.e., trying clergy in secular court rather than the church courts, is not a matter of faith or morals. It was not the cause of the break with the Catholic Church nor should it be.

5. While Anglicans may consider themselves to be the genuine representative of the Catholic Church, The Catholic Church (so named now as well as then) would reject such a notion as patently false.

6. If the Anglican Church or Church of England considers itself to be the authentic Catholic Church, then why does it call itself "Anglican" or worse "the Church of England?" Because the real Catholic Church already has that title/name and everyone in the world recognizes WHO The Catholic Church is. . .and it's not the Anglican Church, nor is it the Orthodox Church. It is The Catholic Church whose representative of Christ on earth is the pope in Rome.

7. The Catholic Church is universal; it is not a nationalistic church, i.e, The Church of England (GB). It is Christ's Church on earth. "Where Peter is -- not where Henry is -- there is The Church"

8. A group of bishops in one nation cannot validly decide to replace the hierarchical structure of The Catholic Church and reject the authority of Peter (the pope). The authority of The Catholic Church resides in the pope and all bishops in communion/agreement with the pope. Always has been that way. . .and always will be that way IN The Catholic Church.

Answer 2

Henry VIII. He sought an annulment of his first marriage, to Catherine of Aragon who had been unable to bear him a male heir. The pope, fearful of causing offence to Catherine's powerful family, refused to grant permission.

Henry's own sympathies did not lie with the Protestant movements which were sweeping across the continent, but under Archbishop Thomas Cranmer the Church of England became firmly Protestant in its official doctrine (see the 39 Articles of Religion), especially during the reign of Henry's son, Edward VI. Attempts were made to reverse this English Reformation under the Catholic Queen Mary, but the changes were finally consolidated under her sister, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I.

Answer 3

If you are expecting the answer Henry the Eighth, you will be mistaken. At no time did Henry break away from the Catholic Church. That is not to say Henry was a Catholic we could be proud of, but Catholic he was! Neither did Henry form the Anglican Church in this country, he simply made it the official Church in England, by law! Further still, neither did the Anglican Church break with the Continental Church as so many people think. The Anglican Church believes in the old Catholic formula of Revelation, Scripture and Councils. They insisted on holding to the teachings of the Council of Nicea, that no Bishop has authority in the See of another Bishop

Roman Catholic Answerfrom Radio Replies, Vol 2, by Father Rumble and Carty, Tan 1979

1270 You insist that it [the Church of England] originated at the time of the Protestant Reformation

Yes, until the Reformation, England was a Catholic country. The first missionaries preached the Catholic religion, and were as subject to the Pope as I am. Henry VIII. was a Catholic, and subject to the Pope until 1534, when he rebelled against the Catholic Church, left it, and made himself head of his own new Church within his own kingdom.

1271 Is your verdict historical?

It is the normal and correct verdict of the ordinary historian who judges simply in accordance with the facts, and who has no particular ecclesiastical theory to maintain. Thus Lecky, an agnostic, in his "History of England in the Eighteenth Century," says that the Church of England was founded at the Reformation as an institution most intensely and distinctively English.

1273 Will you briefly explain how the Anglican Church came about?

Until the year 1534, Henry VIII., was in full communion with and subject to the Pope, and England was a Catholic country. In fact, after Luther in Germany had rebelled against the Pope in 1517, Henry wrote a book to refute him, and received in return for this from the Pope the title, "Defender of the Faith." Unfortunately Henry grew tired of his lawful wife Catherine of Aragon, and wished to put her away and marry Anne Boleyn. He asked the Pope to annul his marriage with Catherine; but, as his marriage to Catherine was quite valid, he failed to secure the favor he sought. He therefore broke with Rome, and had himself created head of the Church of England by Act of Royal Supremacy in 1534. He thus set up the Church of England as a Church independent of the Catholic Church, and took the divorce he wanted. Whilst repudiating the authority of the Pope, however, Henry also repudiated the new Protestant doctrines apart from the denial of Papal authority. He insisted on all other Catholic teachings and practices, persecuting Catholics who denied the royal supremacy, and Protestants who denied transubstantiation and the Mass. ...

Answer 4

King Henry VIII decided to form his own church so he could grant himself a divorce and marry another.