Religion1

Religion played a significant role in Elizabethan England. There was much controversy over the different religious views of the time. The fight between the Catholic Church and the Church of England continued until Queen Elizabeth came to throne. In her reign, she restored the Church of England and attempted to establish a middle ground between the Puritans and the Catholic Church.
 * WHAT ROLE DID RELIGION PLAY IN ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN ENGLAND? WHAT RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS AND STRIFE WERE FACED? WHAT IS THE KING JAMES BIBLEAND WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT? WHO WAS OLIVER CROMWELL? WHAT IS HIS LEGACY?**
 * Prepared by: Maahum M.**

As Henry VIII came to throne, he broke away from the Catholic Church and forme d a new church, the Church of England, also called the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church remained somewhat similar to the Catholic faith, but it was also deeply influenced by the Protestant Reformation, which resulted in the development of English Protestantism in the Church of England (“The History of the Church of England”). In other words, //Life in Elizabethan England: The Church//, Kathryn Hinds writes, that after Henry’s reign, his son, Edward continued to grow English Protestantism: “Edward ruled only six years and was succeeded by his half sister Mary, a devout Catholic. She declared England a Catholic country once more and persecuted many Protestants who refused to change their faith. Mary reigned for 5 years.” After Mary died, Elizabeth took the throne; she was determined to break England away from the Catholic Church, just as her father, Henry VIII, had done before. In the book, //“Elizabeth I: Queen of England’s Golden Age,”// Paul Hilliam explains that Elizabeth, in her desire to end religious conflict, had two goals: “Her first aim was to stop the threat of papal interference by appointing herself supreme governor of the Church of England and second to create a Protestant England in which there was a measure of toleration for the other religious denominations.”(45) Elizabeth aimed to restore the power of the Church of England’s service. She imposed mandatory church attendance on Sundays and a new prayer book for the country. Hilliam explains that, the style of the new prayer book was carefully written in hope that the wording for Communion would be acceptable to Catholics (46). As time went on and the Protestant belief strengthened, Catholics in other countries tried to create pictures of other Catholics being tortured in England (Hilliam 48). In addition, the Society of Jesuits sent some members to try to help Catholics reconvert the people of England and build resistance to the Church of England (Hilliam 48). Then, because of this resistance, Parliament began heavy fines for Catholics who did not attend Church services. Finally, in 1585, there came an act that banned all Jesuits from entering England (Hilliam 48). While attempts were taken to revolt against the Church of England, Queen Elizabeth banned anyone from doing so.

At the start of Elizabeth’s reign, England transferred into a Protestant country. There were groups of people called Puritans who wanted a more reformed Church of England and a complete break from the Catholic past. According to Hilliam “They wanted simple services free from pomp and ceremony and greater emphasis placed on the Bible within services. They also thought their faith should influence every part of their lives, and that a religion that only expected people to attend services each Sunday was not enough” (49) In 1588, Puritanism reached its pinnacle. Thus, Parliament passed another act in 1593, threatening exile for anyone who refused to go to church on Sunday (Hilliam 51). Soon after, many Puritans began running away to the New World to escape the harsh persecutions. However, before people began running away, there was a start of a new prayer book that finally proved the break away from the Catholic Church.

Throughout time, many Bibles in the Catholic Church were printed in Latin or Old English. Instead of printing Bibles in Latin or Old English, Bibles in English were now available. After the death of Queen Elizabeth, in 1603, King James I came to throne. He created a New English Bible translation, which was first printed in 1611. Because this Bible was created to be in churches, it was published in a large font, suitable for public use and without illustrations. On the webpage “The King James Bible,” Barbara Dexter writes, “No important English translations of the Bible appeared for more than 200 years after the publication of the King James Version. The Bible was the most widely used translation in the English-speaking world.” In the early 1600’s, the Catholic Church forbade anyone, other than priests, to read the Bible. However, after the New King James Bible was published, everyone was able to read the bible. Dexter continues//,// “Its elegant yet natural style had enormous influence on English speaking writers. There were no newspapers and not many books in English that were of concern to simple people, and in its new and splendid translation into what was then the most up-to-date English, the Bible was soon the most popular book in England.” Similar to King James, another religious believer strived to continue and protect Puritanism.

Oliver Cromwell was another controversial figure in English history. A unique leader, a member of parliament, a soldier, and a statesman, Cromwell consistently gave ideas and pursued his beliefs. On the webpage “Oliver Cromwell,” Professor Morril explains, “In April 1653, he used military force to break up the Parliament and to establish a ‘parliament of saints.’” This was a group of 140 men who wrote a constitution that reflected the “gospel values and would teach the responsibilities of freedom.” Besides the positive addition Oliver Cromwell brought into England, he was part of the destruction of the Globe Theater. According to the webpage “Globe Theater and the Puritans//,”// the Globe Theater was a huge source of entertainment and brought together massive crowds; however, the crowds consisted of thieves, robbers, prostitutes, and gamblers. Puritans abhorred the people the Globe attracted. In 1642, because of the Puritans, the English Parliament ordered a stop to all stage plays in theaters. In 1644, the Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, demolished the Globe Theater. Through the pursuit of religion, one of the greatest entertainment areas in England was destroyed.

During and after the reign of Elizabeth, there were reasonable additions and changes made to Elizabethan religion. King James added a new Bible that not only sacred people could read, but that everyone could understand religion further. Oliver Cromwell tried to bring back the purity of religion by destroying the Globe Theater to lessen the act of evil. The time of Elizabeth’s reign, religion was considered as a pathway to heaven and was never to be forgotten or mistreated.


 * Look at some of these cool pictures!**

Located above is a picture of Henry VIII, the father of Queen Elizabeth

Here is a picture of Queen Elizabeth herself


 * Links:**

Check out this trailer of a movie all about Queen Elizabeth!

Works Cited:

1. Hinds, Kathryn. //Life in the Elizabethan England: The Church //. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2008. 59-73. 9-27. Print. 2. Hilliam, Paul. //Elizabeth I: Queen of England's Golden Age//. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2005. 40-51. Print. 3. Picard, Liza. //Elizabeth's London//. London: Wieidenfeld and Nicolson, 2003. 270-279. 89-109. Print. 4. Singman, Jeffrey. //Daily Life in Elizabethan England//. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1995. Print.
 * Books:**

1. Barbee, Dexter. "The King James Bible." //Elizabethan England//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar 2010.  2. "Globe Theater and the Puritans." //Globe Theater and the Puritans//. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr 2010. . 3. Morril,. "Oliver Cromwell." //British History In depth//. N.p., 05/11/09. Web. 4 Apr 2010. . 4. "The History of the Church of England." //The Church of England//. he Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2004. Web. 11 Apr 2010. .
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