The Small Amount of Opposition to the Henrician Reformation

The Small Amount of Opposition to the Henrician Reformation

The Henrician reformation brought many changes to the religious and

secular ways of life in England. It stripped the nation of many of its

traditional Catholic ways and forced new and unheard of customs into

its religious life. The monasteries were dissolved deceitfully and

effectively and a once cherished tradition was brought to an abrupt

end. Henry agreed to have an English Bible in his churches, something

that had previously been considered an act of heresy. Other Catholic

traditions such as holy relics and the belief in purgatory were

discouraged in the newly revised faith. Cromwell initiated these

changes to the faith, but Henry's Catholic faith ensured these changes

were not too radical and chantries were still allowed to pray for

souls in purgatory. Although Henry remained a Catholic, the end of

papal power was signified in his becoming the head of the Church of

England. However, with such movements that shook the foundations of

England's faith, why was there so little opposition to the Henrician

reformation?

Perhaps on of the greatest tactics employed by the crown to prevent

opposition was provoking fear amongst those who were likely to oppose

the reformation. Henry had to start from the top, and therefore

started by controlling parliament. A few bishops that had once made up

a considerable part of parliament ( such as Bishop Fisher) were told

to no longer attend, and Henry occasionally attended parliament,

watching them as they voted, for example Henry attended debates in the

Lords on 3 occasions and in 1532 he attended parliament for the

passing of the 'Bill ...

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...fore it seems that a combination of tactics meant there was

little opposition to the Henrician Reformation. Cromwell was an

essential catalyst in making the reformation work; without his level

of intelligence and ability to manipulate the reformation quite

possibly may have encountered a great deal of opposition. The

piecemeal and indeed relatively peaceful way in which the reformation

occurred meant that people were rarely shocked by sudden change and

that many would remain ignorant or unaffected by the changes that did

occur. A lesser monarch might have been engulfed by the challenges

such as the Pilgrimage of Grace, yet Henry and Cromwell remained

consistent, and with an element of luck about the time that the

changed were introduced, the Henrician reformation was successful and

faced surprisingly little opposition.