Anglicanism
- Year
- 1534
- Kind
- Tradition
What it was
Henry VIII’s break with Rome (Act of Supremacy, 1534) was at first more jurisdictional than doctrinal; theological reform advanced under Edward VI and Cranmer and settled with the Elizabethan Settlement of 1559. The Thirty-nine Articles (1563) and the Book of Common Prayer define its identity, which keeps bishops and liturgy.
Little known
In 1521 Pope Leo X gave Henry VIII the title "Defender of the Faith" for his book against Luther on the seven sacraments, and in 1539 the king still enforced transubstantiation and clerical celibacy by law (Six Articles).
Key figures
- Henry VIII1491–1547
- Thomas Cranmer1489–1556
- Elizabeth I1533–1603
- Richard Hooker1554–1600
Key documents
- Act of Supremacy1534
- Book of Common Prayer (1549, 1552, 1559, 1662)1549
- Thirty-nine Articles1563
- Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity (Hooker)1594