Once Elizabeth took her sister Mary's place, the Elizabethan Era began. Elizabeth restored the supremacy of the Church of the England but had no taste for murderous zealotry of her predecessors. The Crown required all people to attend church services using the vernacular liturgy every Sunday and holy day or face a stiff fine, so most complied. The Catholic Church began to openly and covertly plotting to overthrow Elizabeth and place Mary Stuart (Elizabeth's Cousin) on the throne and, in 1591, an act of Parliament declared conversion to Catholicism as high treason.
Throughout the Elizabethan Era and even before during Bloody Mary and King Henry VIII reign, there has always been confrontations between those who wanted to have Protestant rule and those who want a Catholic rule. Due to King Henry, directly opposing the Roman Catholic pope when he divorced Catherine of Aragon, he was condemned and excommunicated. Henry then enforced the Act of Supremacy that made him the Supreme Head of the Church of England and required all clergy to swear an oath of fealty to Henry, not Rome. Henry's successor Edward, burned and destroyed all elaborate religious art. Chaos towards the Catholics and the Church increased between Henry and his son. However, once the daughter of Catherine of Aragon(Mary I) took her place next in line to rule, the Catholics and the Roman Church was officially reinstated, and along with this she burnt the Church of England officials and other Protestants at the stake. This is how she earned the name "Bloody Mary". A battle zone between two sects of the same religion was raging.
Protestants v. cATHOLICS
Even though both Protestants and Catholics are two sects of the same religion, which at this time was Christianity they fought over which would be the supreme sect over the land. Similar to the Islamic Sects (Shia and Sunni), both Protestants and Catholics fall under the same religion, yet they have small differences which can give each a reason why they are the better sect. As a result of a split in the Christian religion, Puritans including Calvinists such as John Calvin worshiped in simple churches, while Celebrants lived ordinary like the people.
Elizabeth restored the supremacy of the Church of the England but had no taste for the murderous zealotry of her predecessors. Elizabeth tolerated the practice of Catholicism, allowing Marian priests, holdover from the Catholic reign of Bloody Mary Tudor, to say Latin Masses and tend to the Catholic faithful. During times all of the religious beliefs went according to what Christianity did. According to Peoplepossingviews.com, Shakespeare wrote stirring plays about, witches, ghosts, fairies and spirits because many believed them. Due to this, people carried charms and talismans against mischievous spirits and feared spells. Sunday scripture and spell casting coexisted , as pagan beliefs continued to influence daily life.
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The Church and the Glass art of Jesus Christs share similarities that are they follow the same religion and that the two sects- Protestants and Catholics are related but they want to see who is more supreme. The video to the right gives a synopsis of what religion was like during the Elizabethan Era.
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FUN FACTS ON RELIGION
INFORMATION FROM LINDA ALCHIN
- ENGLAND IN THE 1500'S. THE GREAT REFORMATION. NEW IDEAS. NEW BELIEFS. NEW RELIGIONS
- REIGNING MONARCHS DICTATED THE 'FAVORED' RELIGION.
- SCHOOLS TAUGHT THE OFFICIAL RELIGION DECREED BY THE REIGNING QUEEN OR KING
- FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE 'FAVORED' RELIGION COULD OFTEN LEAD TO GREAT DANGER - IMPRISONMENT. TORTURE. EXECUTION. .ADHERING TO THE 'WRONG' RELIGION BROUGHT RISKS TO PERSONAL WEALTH, FREEDOM AND LIFE.
- QUEEN MARY I (R.1553-1558), ELIZABETH'S SISTER, BELIEVED PASSIONATELY IN THE CATHOLIC RELIGION AND PERSECUTED PROTESTANTS WHO WERE BURNED ALIVE FOR THEIR BELIEFS ( HENCE HER NICKNAME BLOODY MARY )
INFORMATION FROM LINDA ALCHIN
- ENGLAND IN THE 1500'S. THE GREAT REFORMATION. NEW IDEAS. NEW BELIEFS. NEW RELIGIONS
- REIGNING MONARCHS DICTATED THE 'FAVORED' RELIGION.
- SCHOOLS TAUGHT THE OFFICIAL RELIGION DECREED BY THE REIGNING QUEEN OR KING
- FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE 'FAVORED' RELIGION COULD OFTEN LEAD TO GREAT DANGER - IMPRISONMENT. TORTURE. EXECUTION. .ADHERING TO THE 'WRONG' RELIGION BROUGHT RISKS TO PERSONAL WEALTH, FREEDOM AND LIFE.
- QUEEN MARY I (R.1553-1558), ELIZABETH'S SISTER, BELIEVED PASSIONATELY IN THE CATHOLIC RELIGION AND PERSECUTED PROTESTANTS WHO WERE BURNED ALIVE FOR THEIR BELIEFS ( HENCE HER NICKNAME BLOODY MARY )