Why did Henry VIII break from the church?

Answer 1

Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon and they had one daughter, Mary. Catherine had had several miscarriages and had not given birth to a son and heir. After Henry VIII took Anne Boleyn as a mistress he asked Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage to Catherine on the grounds that she was married to his brother first. When the Pope refused, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church and began the Church of England so that he could divorce Catherine and marry Anne.

Answer 2

Anglican Catholic Answers! Henry didn't break away from the Church of England, he was a member of the Church of England and that Church was the Body of Christ in England. I.E. The Catholic Church in England!

What he did was to have a fall out with the Bishop of Rome, when the Bishop was unable to do what was expected of him, in a fit of pique, Henry and the English Church pointed out that no bishop could interfere in another bishop's see! It went against the rules! The Bishop of Rome re-acted angrily and in frustration expelled Henry from communion with the Roman Church, which was sad, but it didn't matter! That Church was the Church of Italy and had authority only there and in Bohemia!

Answer 3

One Perspective

Henry didn't break away from the Catholic Church, perhaps you've misunderstood things? Henry had a private fall out with the Pope about an annulment and the pope took umbrage and refused Communion to Henry!

This caused Henrie to be separated from the Roman Catholic Church, but this is not quite the same thing as the whole Church, it is the Church of the Roman People only!

Another Perspective

Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church because he wanted an heir, and the Holy Father would not grant him an annulment from his legal marriage:

England became a part of the reformation more through politics than theological debate. King Henry VIII (1509-47) needed an heir to the throne and with his wife was unable to produce one. The Pope would not grant a divorce and so Henry convinced Parliament to declare him head of the Church in England. Henry's daughter, Mary Tudor was a staunch Catholic and persecuted the Protestants. When Henry's other daughter, Elizabeth, inherited the throne, she tolerated the Protestants just enough so as not to irritate the Pope. When the English fleet defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, the Anglican Church permanently replaced the Catholic one in England.

(Below is an excerpt from the biography of Henry VIII)

In 1534 Henry VIII was declared head of the English Church. People had to swear an oath that in future they would obey Henry as head of the church. More refused and he was convicted of high treason. Still refusing to recant, he was executed at the Tower of London on 6 July 1535.

The Pope and the Catholic church in Rome were horrified when they heard the news that Henry had destroyed St. Thomas Becket's Shrine. On 17 December 1538, the Pope announced to the Christian world that Henry VIII had been excommunicated from the Catholic church.

Another Perspective

Henry Tudor- the eighth of his line was a troublesome and controversial man. The so-called Mad Monarch identified with multiple marriages ( six)- two of which were ended by execution ( Anne Boleyn and Katharine Howard). Theology had scant energy or potential in Henry's motives. Henry felt under the Divine Right of Kings that he was above the Law, including the laws of the church. Henry wanted a divorce from Katharine of Aragon- who as her surname suggests was Spanish- The pope said no and the conflict erupted. it should be noted that Henry was what we today would call a smooth operator- long before the schism. The monarch had received the title Defender of the Faith- in Latin Fidei Defensor from the then-regnant Pope. This was an honor for penning a book Assertio Septum Sacramentum- defense of the Seven Sacraments. English Monarchs still bear this Papal Title- and it is used on British Coins- Fidei Defensor.

It should be noted that Queen Elizabeth has made monumental overtures towards rapprochement with the Catholics. She had had several audiences with different popes. Elizabeth II is the head of the Anglican church- or C.O.E. ( in England this abbreviation always means Church of England- NOT Corps of Engineers. No maintenance cap here!

Answer 4

Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic church and founded the Church of England in 1534 because the pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He wanted to marry Anne Boleyn because she was pregnant with his child and could only do that by founding the Church of England.

Answer 5

The immediate cause was that Henry's mistress (Anne Boleyn) was pregnant and Henry wanted an annulment immediately so that he could marry Anne Boleyn and the child would be a legitimate heir to the throne.

AnswerHenry VIII wanted to get a divorce from his wife, because she was not able to bear him a son. However, the Pope would not grant him a divorce, so Henry decided to form his own church, The Church Of England so he could get a divorce.

Answer 6

Roman Catholic AnswerHenry VIII wanted to remain Catholic but wanted a son and a new wife more than he wanted to remain Catholic so he appointed willing servants to Church positions that were willing to ignore the Pope and follow his (Henry's) will:

England became a part of the reformation more through politics than theological debate. King Henry VIII (1509-47) needed an heir to the throne and with his wife was unable to produce one. The Pope would not grant a divorce and so Henry convinced Parliament to declare him head of the Church in England. Henry's daughter, Mary Tudor was a staunch Catholic and persecuted the Protestants. When Henry's other daughter, Elizabeth, inherited the throne, she tolerated the Protestants just enough so as not to irritate the Pope. When the English fleet defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, the Anglican Church permanently replaced the Catholic one in England.

(Below is an excerpt from the biography of Henry VIII)

In 1534 Henry VIII was declared head of the English Church. People had to swear an oath that in future they would obey Henry as head of the church. More refused and he was convicted of high treason. Still refusing to recant, he was executed at the Tower of London on 6 July 1535.

The Pope and the Catholic church in Rome were horrified when they heard the news that Henry had destroyed St. Thomas Becket's Shrine. On 17 December 1538, the Pope announced to the Christian world that Henry VIII had been excommunicated from the Catholic church.

　

　

from History of Catholic church - renaissance and reformation