Elizabeth I & Religion (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

Why was religion an issue for Elizabeth? - Summary 

Religion was one of the biggest challenges Elizabeth I faced when she became queen in 1558. She inherited deep divisions caused by the religious changes of previous Tudor monarchs. Her father, Henry VIII, broke from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England, making the monarch its head. His son, Edward VI, further advanced England's move towards Protestantism, introducing more radical reforms. However, Mary I reversed these changes, restoring Catholicism and persecuting Protestants, which created resentment and fear.

As a result, Elizabeth inherited a divided kingdom, with Catholics and Protestants both suspicious of each other and of her rule. The religious conflict was not limited to England and Wales. Powerful Catholic nations such as Spain and France opposed Protestantism and were willing to support rebellions against her.

Elizabeth also faced a direct threat from Mary Stuart (later known as Mary Queen of Scots), a Catholic with a legitimate claim to the English throne, supported by many Catholics at home and abroad.

Balancing these problems made religion a major issue for Elizabeth. She wanted to find a settlement that would unite her people, limit foreign threats, and secure her position on the throne.

Catholics & Protestants in Elizabethan England

Catholicism 

• Catholicism is a branch of Christianity

• In the Catholic Church 

  • The Pope is the head of the Church 

    • Cardinals, archbishops, and bishops manage the Church 

  • Churches represent the glory of God 

    • They have stained-glass windows and expensive icons, such as statues and pictures 

  • Priests are not allowed to marry

  • Priests wear special robes called vestments

    • Vestments are decorated with colour 

  • The Bible and Church services are in Latin 

  • The service of Mass creates a miracle 

    • The priest makes the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus 

Protestantism 

• Protestantism began in Germany in 1517

  • Martin Luther, a monk, nailed The Ninety-Five Theses on the door of his local church in Wittenberg

    • The Ninety-Five Theses contained his complaints about the Church’s practices, such as indulgences

  • Luther set up his own church

  • The Catholic Church called any Christians who joined Luther’s church Protestants

• In the Protestant Church 

  • Churches are plain 

    • They have an altar and stained-glass windows, but no icons 

    • Spending lots of money on churches goes against the teachings of Protestantism  

  • Priests are allowed to marry 

  • Priests do not wear special vestments 

    • They are plain, with very limited decoration 

  • Priests cannot forgive people's sins

    • This power belongs to God alone

  • The Bible and Church services in England should be in English so everyone can access the word of God 

  • The bread and wine in Communion represent the Last Supper 

    • It does not become the body and blood of Jesus 

  • In England at this time, the main protestant church was the Church of England

    • The monarch is the head of the Church of England

    • Archbishops help them to run the Church 

Aims of Religious Settlement 

• Elizabeth inherited a very difficult religious situation 

  • She needed to act carefully to reduce any potential threats from both home and abroad 

• Elizabeth’s ultimate aim was to unite the people by creating a religious settlement that suited everyone 

• However, this was not easy as Elizabeth had many different factors to consider, including: 

  • Foreign relations

  • The Pope

  • Her government

  • The common people

  • Her own religious beliefs

  • The mistakes of past monarchs

Foreign relations 

• France was ruled by a Catholic monarch, Francis II, who was married to Mary Stuart of Scotland. She had a legitimate claim to the throne, and many believed Francis would act on her claim 

• Spain was ruled by a Catholic and the widower of Mary I, King Phillip II

• Scotland was ruled by a Catholic regent, Mary of Guise. However, Scottish nobles did not want to see an increase in Catholic power 

The Pope 

• Did not want Protestantism in England and Wales 

• He could excommunicate Elizabeth and ask Catholics to help remove her from the throne 

Her government 

• Most Members of Parliament (MPs) were Protestant 

• Many Lords were Catholic 

The common people 

• They were generally conservative in their religious views; most preferred the ceremonies associated with the Catholic Church 

• Protestant Marian exiles who fled during the reign of Mary I expected Elizabeth to have a religious policy that followed their Calvinistic beliefs 

Her own religious beliefs 

• Elizabeth was a Protestant, although she disliked some elements, such as clergymen and bishops marrying 

• She disliked the power the Pope had 

• There were many aspects of the Catholic Church that she liked, including Vestments and decorated churches 

The mistakes of Edward VI and Mary I 

• Elizabeth did not want to create a strict religious settlement, which resulted in the people being punished or killed for their beliefs 

Acts of Supremacy

• Elizabeth's Religious Settlement was created to reflect both Protestant and Catholic practices and beliefs

  • This was known as the ‘Middle Way’  

• Elizabeth decided that 

  • Protestantism was the official religion 

  • Included some changes which Edward VI introduced, such as: 

    • A Prayer Book 

    • An English Bible 

  • Kept some Catholic elements, including: 

    • Use of crosses and candles 

    • Vestments 

  • Catholics would not be persecuted 

    • However, they would be fined if they did not attend Church 

The Act of Supremacy, 1559 

• The first part of Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement was The Act of Supremacy 

• The Act of Supremacy reiterated the monarch’s authority over the Church of England

The Act of Uniformity, 1559

• The second part of Elizabeth’s settlement was The Act of Uniformity 

• The Act of Uniformity ensured that all churches looked the same and delivered equivalent church services

How did Elizabeth enforce her Religious Settlement?

• The Royal injunctions of 1559 were a set of instructions to the clergy to help them uphold the Religious Settlement. They were ordered to 

  • Denounce papal authority 

  • Follow royal supremacy 

  • Ask two Justices of the Peace (JPs) and a bishop for permission to marry 

  • Condemn Catholic practices, including: 

    • Pilgrimages 

    • Processions 

  • Preach with a licence and permission from a bishop 

  • Fine recusants and report them to JPs

  • Wear the correct clerical dress

• To uphold the acts, 125 commissioners were appointed to ensure they were being followed 

  • They toured the country to make clergymen swear the Oath of Supremacy 

• The Act of Exchange in 1559 allowed Elizabeth to take land and buildings belonging to the Church 

  • This act forced the bishops to pay rent to Elizabeth 

  • Elizabeth could use it as a way to control the Church 

• Elizabeth used the role of the bishops to deal with the day-to-day running of the Church 

  • When Catholic bishops refused to swear the Oath of Supremacy, Elizabeth used this as an opportunity to appoint Protestant bishops 

    • Many of the protestant bishops were Calvinists, and this caused tension between some of the bishops and Elizabeth later in her reign 

• The Thirty-nine Articles, created in 1563, stated the official beliefs of the Church of England 

  • They confirmed the key practices of the Protestant Church and rejected many of the Catholic practices 

  • Elizabeth did not approve them until 1571 

Reactions to the Settlement in Elizabethan England 

• Many people in England and Wales supported Elizabeth’s religious settlement as it was: 

  • Inclusive 

    • Services were written to prevent conflict 

    • The wording of the services was open to interpretation 

  • Tolerant of Catholics

    • Initially, recusancy fines were not enforced

• Furthermore, most clergymen in England supported the Religious Settlement and took the Oath of Supremacy 

  • Approximately 250 out of 9,000 priests refused to take the oath 

• Those who initially opposed the Religious Settlement were mainly those who were extremists 

  • Jesuits believed it was not Catholic enough 

  • Puritans believed it was not Protestant enough

• Initially, the foreign reaction to Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement did not cause Elizabeth any problems because 

  • France was focused more on their own domestic problems 

  • Spain wanted to continue a friendship with England and believed that these changes would not be permanent 

  • The Pope also thought that these changes would not last long 

• However, as time progressed, foreign attitudes towards Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement changed 

  • The Council of Trent met in 1563 and called for the excommunication of Elizabeth 

  • In the 1570s and 1580s, both Spain and the Pope became involved in plots to remove Elizabeth from the throne and to bring an end to Protestantism