Question

In a solid paragraph, defend the following statement, using historical evidence: Henry VIII’s break with Rome and creation of the Church of England was inspired by political ambition, not religious devotion.

Answer 1

Answer:

The Protestant Reformation in England experienced a different historical path from the processes verified in the European continent. The English Protestant doctrine did not have as its main purpose the theological criticism of the dogmas and actions of the Catholic clergy. The reasons that led to the break with Catholicism in England were political, economic and also marital, the latter being the one evoked for the break. However, more than just a confrontation between Henry VIII and the Church there was a fight for power and influence.

Explanation:

English king Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church in 1534 after Pope Clement VI refused to accept the English monarch's request for the divorce. Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon, but their union had resulted in only one daughter, and five other children had died. Such a situation contradicted the monarch's desire to make his successor male. However, it was not just the pope's non-acceptance of divorce that led Henry VIII to break with the Catholic Church. Political problems between England and Rome came from the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), when the high Catholic dignitaries, located in Avignon, were closer to the French than to the English, during the so-called Western Schism. Because of all these problems and confronts, and also Henry VIII's necessity of power and influence, we can say that Anglicanism was a result of his megalomania to control every aspect of England's life.