Question

How did Henry VIII's radical break with the Catholic church change politics and ecclesiology?

Answer 1

One of the major effects on England after Henry VIII broke from the Catholic church was the diffusing of the religious power in England that had previously been concentrated in Rome.

In 1532 Henry installed Thomas Cranmer as the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1534 Cranmer supported the Act of Supremacy, which made England's split from Rome official, and declared Henry England's supreme spiritual leader. No longer part of the Catholic empire, England and Henry now had total autonomy. The clergy were forced to choose sides between Rome and England, and many who chose Rome were executed.

Another result of Henry VIII's split from the Catholic church was the dissolution of the monasteries. This was the feature of the split that Henry's court had seen as holding so much potential for profit. All monastic lands and possessions were seized by the state and sold. The profits were often used to fund the personal projects of members of Henry's court. The process of shutting down the monasteries and seizing their properties resulted in doubling state revenue for several years.