The Church

1. The Church Structure of the Roman Catholic Church in 16th C

2. The Episcopacy

3. Setup of Church in EME

4. Relationship btw Church and State • Pope in charge of Church that spread right across Europe • Church laws made in Convocation • Reformation in EME after Henry VIII broke from Rome and took position as Head of Church • State in EME = ALL things that enable govt to run – incl. Church • Monarch claimed to rule by divine right – religious conformity and political loyalty were inseparable. • Church taught that rebellion was a sin. Monarch ensured that doctrines of church supported opportunity for their subjects to gain salvation. • Also Monarch’s duties to enforce rules of the Church

5. Relationship cont… • Church ensured obedience to the government • Despite growth of belief in INDIVIDUAL responsibility for salvation – Church still imp. • E.g. beginning of parliament with prayer gave it religious authority • Church preached obedience to monarch • As God’s rep. on Earth • Monarch both • Lord Spiritual (Godly) • Lord Temporal (Worldy) • EME = Confessional State • Religious faith established/enforced by govt

6. Powers of the Church • Political • 2 Archbishops were landed magnates (influential people) • Sat in House of Lords • Frequently Privy Councillors • Economic • Monasteries – before theReformation had owned about 1/3rd of all land in EME • Received tithes – tax on all households – 1/10th of annual income to support running of church • Social • Reinforced ‘natural order’ of the universe • Missionary purpose to instruct people in ways of God • Church sessions were society in miniature – rich gentry at the front, poor in the back; women on one side; men on the other (Reay, 1985)

7. Why only ONE Church? Catholic Popes were also powerful princes – VERY involved in politics of all Europe England’s enemies were Catholic; so any Catholics within could be potential traitors (focus for plots later on) • Uneducated people tended to be conservative – any change in church would have been met with resistance in different forms • Grumbling and quiet refusal • Pilgrimage and protest • Armed uprising • Feared that people would not accept more than one religion – could lead to conflict (and DID !) • Most people prepared to die for ‘their version’ of Christianity – believed the wrong version could lead to hell – normal life was bad enough ! Monarch had to consider (when choosing a religion) Church carried out many administrative functions for the govt and there might be a conflict of interest

8. Church influence on day-to-day life • All citizens were required to attend Church on Sundays and holy days – could be fined for not going • Parish was centre of village community • Church often only large building • Everybody used it – not just for Sunday services • Housed the school (if there was one) • Contained ‘village chest’ – where parishioners kept their valuables • Church bells were the emergency sirens • Helped the poor in villages • Pattern of life (i.e. seasonal changes etc) linked closely to Church and religious events • E.g. End of winter and sense of rebirth shown in Easter celebrations. Gave people hope again

9. Church influence cont.. • Church court – essential to good order in the village • Church sanctions intended to reform transgressors rather than punish • But they did punish MORAL lapses e.g. drinking; working on Sunday; gossiping; not paying tithes • Church condemnation may have been more powerful than secular punishment (hell worse than prison) • Heresy (opinion against that of the Church) and treason – only two crimes where punishment worse than hanging was used • Church entertainment • Fetes and festivals • Organised plays and theatre groups; debates, art shows

10. Church’s REAL power • Power over the minds of people • Controlled knowledge prior to reformation • Universities were part of the Church • All books written in Latin until Elizabethan settlement • Few people other than clergy were literate • Those with other ideas (heretics) were suppressed e.g. Galileo in 1633 suggested Earth revolved around the Sun – he was forced under threat of torture to retract his ideas – even though they were right ! • Most people were illiterate and believed in God and the Devil – Church most powerful thing in their lives • Gave them hope (heaven) and dread (hell) • Offered means of control over daily tasks – able to pray ‘for’ things

11. Revision Q’s • Define the following terms • Episcopacy; Convocation; Confessional State ; Secular ; Conservative ; Tithe • Answer the following? • Top position an Englishman could hope to achieve in Elizabethan Church? • What was main way Church strengthened a monarch’s position? • How were parish clergy also civil servants? • How did Church help monarch keep order in England? • How could Church hold back advances in science and thinking? • Why was choice of religion so imp. to people?

12. Revision A’s • Definitions • Church heirachy; Parliament of Chch; State where govt decides religious faith; Non-religious; Against change; church tax. • Questions • 1. Archbishop; • 2. preached obedience to God’s rep on earth; • 3. carried out aspects of govt in local parishes; • 4. had its own court system; • 5. could suppress ideas that went against its own teachings e.g Galileo; • 6. wrong choice could lead to hell.