The Act of Supremacy - 1534
People were beginning to lose respect for the spiritual authority of the Pope during the Renaissance period. The papacy was becoming secular and there were problems that had to be dealt with. One of the things that irritated the English people was that of sending money to Rome. England was now trying to find a way to break ties with the Catholic Church. The means of accomplishing this was a divorce.
King Henry VIII did not have any sons. He just had daughters, so, he felt justified to ask the Pope to grant him a divorce from Catharine of Aragon. The Pope refused the divorce, so, in 1534, Henry went to the Parliament and declared that the king justly, and rightfully is, and ought to be the head of the Church of England. Now he would be declared the authority figure over the church. The Pope was no longer the governmental head of the church. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York were the highest spiritual authorities.
Henry had a few daughters who reigned in his place. Mary was a strong Catholic, and wanted Catholicism to be strong, while Elizabeth was more open to Protestantism. Under Archbishop Crammer, many Protestant elements were introduced. The influence of Elizabeth made it possible for England to become more Protestant. It also gave the Anglican Church much of its character.
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