Protestant Reformation Quotes
England had, under Henry VIII, left the Roman Catholic Church where the King replaced the Pope as head of the English Church. Henry’s successors then had to organize and manage the national Christian church. James was discussing the hierarchy of the Church of England and there was a suggestion that Bishops be eliminated and have every priest directly responsible to the crown. Bishops would be powerful figures who might form a power center. (They did later). However, King James I observed that the King is God’s choice and rules by divine right. So there had to be bishops to crown kings. The bishoprics were retained.
The Catholic Church had ordered that the Bible only be written and read in Latin. Individual reading by laymen was not considered desirable. Tyndale wanted to bring the Gospels and the Old Testament to every Englishman, and he did just that. He was, however, burned at the stake for his “heresy.”
His answer was what Max Weber called “The Protestant Work Ethic.”
Sins punishable by death included blasphemy, seditious language, scolding one's parents, adultery, lewd conduct, backbiting, spreading scandal, and even complaining. Persons of marriageable age were ordered to marry; unmarried women had to accept the first man to ask them.
King Henry VIII had left the Roman Catholic church and taken England and Ireland out also. He replaced the Pope as the head of the English and Irish churches. There was much opposition in Ireland and the priests were the most assertive opponents to the change and were still loyal to the Pope. Queen Elizabeth continued to have problems with the Priests. James I, Elizabeth’s successor, became fed up by the Roman Catholic Priests and therefor issued this Proclamation.
Cromwell’s motivation for Empire was different from most other English leaders, but defeating the Catholic Spanish in the New World would be another of God’s victories over the Catholics which Cromwell and many of his Puritan followers thought was the desire and will of God.
Martin Luther not only reformed Christianity but was a catalyst for many religious Christian alternatives thereby ending monolithic worldwide Christian religious doctrine and control. He argues that Islam must have a similar reform process.
The King had earlier replaced the Pope as the head of the English church. The references to money referred to a then common corruption of the Church whereby people could buy indulgences—religious papal pardons of past or future sins. This was a major revenue source for the Vatican and a major issue for Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformers some of who saw the pope as the Devil incarnate See {623153}. For Martin Luther’s view pf the practice and {626720}, {595195}, and {639436} for other contemporary views.
