OCR Specification focus:
‘Religious and ecclesiastical policies 1547–1558; legislation including the Prayer Books and Acts of Uniformity.’
Edward VI’s reign (1547–1553) witnessed profound religious transformation, directed by his Protestant advisors. His religious policies reshaped the English Church, shifting away from Catholicism towards a distinctly Protestant identity.
Edward VI’s Religious Aims and Context
Henry VIII’s reign had broken with Rome, but left many Catholic practices intact. Under Edward VI, the government, guided by Edward Seymour (Duke of Somerset) and later John Dudley (Duke of Northumberland), sought to impose more radical Protestant reforms.
Edward himself was a committed Protestant, influenced by reformist tutors, and supported the move towards stronger Reformed theology.
Reformed theology: A branch of Protestant belief influenced by theologians such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, emphasising scripture, faith alone, and rejection of Catholic ritual.
This reformist zeal led to major ecclesiastical changes between 1547 and 1553, enforced through royal authority and parliament.
Early Reform Measures, 1547
Somerset began religious change cautiously but steadily. Key actions included:
Royal Injunctions (1547): Ordered the removal of superstitious images, processions, and relics.
Book of Homilies (1547): A set of model sermons emphasising Protestant doctrine, to be read in churches.
English Bible enforcement: Parish churches were required to make English Bibles available.
Dissolution of Chantries (1547): Suppressed endowed masses for the dead, redistributing wealth to the Crown.
These measures set the stage for deeper liturgical and doctrinal reform.
The First Prayer Book (1549)
Introduced under Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the First Book of Common Prayer (1549) was a moderate attempt at compromise, blending Catholic and Protestant elements.
Key features:
Services conducted in English, not Latin.
Communion in both kinds (bread and wine) for the laity.
Ambiguities retained regarding the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, leaving space for traditional belief.
The Act of Uniformity (1549) made use of this book compulsory in all churches.
Title page of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, the first authorised English liturgy under Edward VI. It embodies the push for uniform worship and vernacular services. Blackletter spelling reflects sixteenth-century print conventions. Source
However, many Catholics saw it as too Protestant, while reformers considered it insufficiently radical.
Opposition to the 1549 Prayer Book
Sparked rebellions, notably the Western Rebellion (Prayer Book Rebellion) in Devon and Cornwall, where communities resented the loss of traditional Latin liturgy and rituals.
Demonstrated the difficulties of enforcing uniform religious policy across culturally diverse regions.
The Second Prayer Book (1552)
Northumberland pushed for more decisive reform. The Second Book of Common Prayer (1552) was far more explicitly Protestant than its predecessor.
Key changes:
Rejection of transubstantiation, adopting a symbolic interpretation of the Eucharist.
Altars replaced with communion tables.
Vestments simplified, images removed.
Emphasis on scripture and preaching over ritual.
The Second Act of Uniformity (1552) enforced this version nationwide, making Protestant worship compulsory.
Transubstantiation: The Catholic doctrine that bread and wine in the Mass are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ, while retaining outward appearance.
Its rejection marked a clear break with Catholic theology, embedding Protestantism firmly into the liturgy of the English Church.
Doctrinal Developments and the Forty-Two Articles
In 1553, Cranmer introduced the Forty-Two Articles of Religion, summarising Protestant doctrine for the Church of England.
Core principles included:
Justification by faith alone.
Authority of scripture above tradition.
Denial of purgatory, indulgences, and most Catholic sacramental practices.
Although Edward’s death in 1553 prevented their full implementation, these articles later influenced the Thirty-Nine Articles (1563) under Elizabeth I.
The Role of Parliament and Government
Religious reform under Edward VI relied heavily on statute law and royal proclamations:
Parliament was essential in passing the Acts of Uniformity.
Royal Injunctions gave the Privy Council authority to enforce doctrinal change.
The Crown’s reliance on legislation provided reforms with legal strength, but also left them vulnerable to reversal under Mary I.
Local Impact and Social Reactions
Reforms met mixed reactions across the country:
Urban centres, such as London and East Anglia, were often supportive due to strong Protestant preaching networks.
Rural communities, particularly in the West Country and the North, tended to resist reforms, clinging to traditional Catholic practices.
Many ordinary parishioners experienced confusion, as rapid shifts disrupted familiar worship and religious customs.
The government’s policy of iconoclasm (destruction of religious images) alienated conservative groups, while more radical reformers pushed for even greater change.
Allegorical painting (National Portrait Gallery) depicting Edward VI enthroned with councillors while a background vignette shows the removal of religious images. It visualises Protestant iconoclasm associated with Edwardian reform. Extra narrative elements (anti-papal propaganda) extend beyond the syllabus but aid interpretation of the term. Source
Iconoclasm: The rejection and destruction of religious images, based on the belief that their veneration constitutes idolatry.
Enforcement and Persecution
Unlike later reigns, Edward VI’s government avoided systematic persecution. Instead, it relied on:
Fines and imprisonment for nonconformity.
Replacement of conservative clergy with reform-minded preachers.
Use of the printing press to disseminate Protestant ideas.
This approach created significant religious division but fell short of crushing Catholic resistance.
Edward VI’s Legacy in Religious Change
Although his reign was short, Edward VI’s reforms created the first truly Protestant framework for the English Church:
Liturgical revolution through the Prayer Books.
Doctrinal clarity via the Forty-Two Articles.
Legal enforcement through the Acts of Uniformity.
His premature death in 1553 left these changes fragile, soon challenged by Mary I’s Catholic restoration, yet they laid the foundation for England’s later Protestant settlement.
FAQ
The dissolution of chantries not only removed prayers for the dead, which aligned with Protestant rejection of purgatory, but also provided much-needed revenue for the Crown.
The money was used to finance wars against Scotland and France, showing that religious change was closely tied to political and financial priorities.
It also marked a continuation of Henry VIII’s dissolution of monasteries, but with more explicit Protestant theological justification.
Cranmer was the architect of the 1549 and 1552 Prayer Books, crafting the liturgy that defined worship under Edward VI.
He sought a balance in 1549 but moved towards a distinctly Reformed theology in 1552, heavily influenced by Continental Protestant thinkers.
His drafting of the Forty-Two Articles in 1553 provided a doctrinal framework that shaped Anglican identity even beyond Edward’s reign.
Edward’s court welcomed leading Continental reformers, including Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr Vermigli.
Bucer influenced the revision of the 1549 Prayer Book, pressing for clearer Protestant teaching.
Vermigli’s views on the Eucharist contributed to the rejection of transubstantiation in 1552.
Their presence in England reinforced Edward’s Protestant agenda and aligned the Church of England with broader European Reformation currents.
Daily worship became noticeably different: Latin services disappeared, English readings of scripture and homilies became standard, and altars were replaced with plain wooden tables.
Parishioners encountered stripped churches, with images, relics, and stained glass often destroyed or removed.
While some welcomed these changes, others felt disoriented or resentful, contributing to unrest in conservative regions such as Devon and Cornwall.
The Acts of Uniformity (1549 and 1552) gave statutory force to Edward’s Prayer Books, making them compulsory in every parish.
This turned liturgical reform into a matter of law, with penalties for clergy who disobeyed.
By linking worship directly to royal authority, the Acts reinforced the supremacy of the monarch in religious matters, further undermining the influence of Rome and traditional Catholic hierarchy.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Name two changes introduced in the First Book of Common Prayer (1549).
Mark Scheme:
1 mark for each correct change identified, up to a maximum of 2.
Acceptable answers include:
Services conducted in English.
Communion offered in both kinds (bread and wine) to the laity.
Retention of some traditional Catholic elements (e.g. ambiguous Eucharistic wording).
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two reasons why the Second Book of Common Prayer (1552) was more radical than the First Book of Common Prayer (1549).
Mark Scheme:
Award up to 3 marks per reason explained, maximum of 6.
1 mark for identification of a reason, 1–2 additional marks for explanation and contextual detail.
Possible answers:
It explicitly rejected transubstantiation, moving towards a symbolic interpretation of the Eucharist (1 mark for identification, 1–2 for explanation of its significance in breaking from Catholic belief).
It replaced stone altars with wooden communion tables and simplified vestments (1 mark for identification, 1–2 for explanation of how this emphasised scripture and preaching over ritual).
It removed ambiguity left in the 1549 book, enforcing a clearer Protestant identity (1 mark for identification, 1–2 for explanation of doctrinal clarity and reformist intent).
Maximum: 6 marks.
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