OCR Specification focus:
‘religious and ecclesiastical policies 1547–1558; legislation, including the Prayer Books and Acts of Uniformity’
The mid-Tudor period saw rapid and often turbulent religious change, particularly during Edward VI’s reign. The introduction of Protestant legislation through successive Prayer Books and Acts of Uniformity marked a decisive shift towards reform. Understanding their content, purpose, and impact is central to assessing how far Protestantism was established between 1549 and 1552.
Background: Edward VI and the drive for reform
Edward VI came to the throne in 1547 at the age of nine, with the real power initially exercised by the Duke of Somerset, and later the Duke of Northumberland. Both leaders pursued religious change, though for different reasons and at different intensities.
Somerset was influenced by Protestant humanist ideas and acted cautiously, aware of the dangers of alienating conservatives.
Northumberland, by contrast, embraced a more radical agenda, pushing the Church of England further along the Protestant path.
The key tools for this transformation were the Prayer Books of 1549 and 1552 and their accompanying Acts of Uniformity.
The First Prayer Book, 1549
Content and nature
The Book of Common Prayer (1549), largely authored by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, aimed to provide a single form of worship across England.
Title page of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, the first authorised English-language liturgy. The ornate woodcut frame reflects traditional aesthetics even as the text inaugurated liturgical change. This visual underscores how a single book imposed uniform worship across parish churches. Source
Key features included:
Services conducted in English rather than Latin.
Communion in both kinds (bread and wine) for laity as well as clergy.
Removal of prayers for the dead, reducing references to purgatory.
Retention of some Catholic vestments and practices, making it a moderate compromise.
Book of Common Prayer (1549): The first official liturgical text in English, designed to unify religious practice under a moderate Protestant framework.
The Act of Uniformity, 1549
The accompanying Act of Uniformity required:
Mandatory use of the new Prayer Book in all parish churches.
Attendance at services, with penalties for absence.
Clergy to adopt the new liturgy without alteration.
This was an attempt to standardise worship and reduce the diversity of practice that had emerged since Henry VIII’s break with Rome.
Reactions and consequences
The First Prayer Book provoked mixed responses:
Conservatives resented the abandonment of Latin and traditional rites.
Radical Protestants criticised the retention of Catholic practices.
Popular hostility erupted in the Western Rebellion of 1549, centred in Devon and Cornwall, where rebels demanded restoration of traditional religion.
This illustrated how liturgical reform could provoke serious unrest, linking religion to political stability.
The Second Prayer Book, 1552
Content and radical changes
In response to criticism, a second Prayer Book was introduced in 1552, moving much further towards Protestantism.
Key changes included:
Complete removal of references to transubstantiation.
Communion service recast as a memorial rather than a sacrificial rite.
Clerical vestments simplified to the surplice, eliminating Catholic imagery.
Altars replaced by simple communion tables, symbolising a break with Catholic ritual.
A plain communion table set for the Lord’s Supper, a form typical of Reformed practice emphasised by the 1552 settlement. While this is a modern photograph, it accurately represents the table-format worship space envisaged by the Edwardian reforms. (Extra detail: the specific table pictured is contemporary rather than a sixteenth-century survivor.) Source
Transubstantiation: The Catholic belief that bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ during the Eucharist.
The Act of Uniformity, 1552
The second Act of Uniformity reinforced these changes by:
Making the Second Prayer Book compulsory in all churches.
Penalising clergy who did not conform.
Tightening enforcement, signalling the regime’s commitment to doctrinal uniformity.
This was a decisive assertion of Protestant orthodoxy, eradicating ambiguity left by the 1549 reforms.
Wider context and enforcement
Role of the Crown and clergy
The enforcement of these religious policies depended heavily on:
The authority of the monarch, with Edward personally committed to Protestantism.
The willingness of local clergy to implement reforms, which varied by region.
The use of royal injunctions and visitations to ensure compliance.
Social and regional variation
In urban centres such as London and East Anglia, reform found strong support.
In rural and conservative areas, particularly the South-West, resistance was widespread.
This uneven reception highlights the difficulties of imposing uniformity in a religiously divided kingdom.
Significance of the legislation
The Prayer Books and Acts of Uniformity between 1549 and 1552:
Marked the legal and doctrinal establishment of Protestantism in England.
Demonstrated how the Tudor state used statute law to enforce religious change.
Exposed tensions between political authority and popular religion, as shown by rebellion.
Provided a framework that would later be revisited and adapted under Elizabeth I in 1559.
Legacy
Although Mary I would later restore Catholicism, the legislative groundwork of Edward’s reign ensured that Protestant ideas had taken firm root. The Prayer Books remained central to English worship, shaping the identity of the Church of England for generations.
FAQ
Cranmer sought to balance traditional Catholic practices with emerging Protestant ideas. A cautious approach was necessary because England was still deeply divided in belief.
By retaining elements such as vestments and certain rituals, he aimed to reduce resistance from conservatives while gradually shifting worship towards a Protestant direction.
The 1549 text retained ambiguous wording, which allowed for both Catholic and Protestant interpretations, particularly around the Eucharist.
The 1552 text was much clearer, stripping away Catholic language and adopting unambiguous Protestant terminology. This eliminated doctrinal compromise and asserted a Reformed theology.
Parliament passed the Acts of Uniformity, granting statutory authority to religious changes. This made compliance a matter of law, not just clerical policy.
Failure to follow the Acts could result in penalties such as fines or imprisonment, reinforcing the monarch’s authority over both church and society.
For many parishioners, changes were most visible in:
The switch to English services, making worship more accessible.
The removal of familiar rituals, which some found unsettling.
The replacement of altars with tables, altering the physical space of worship.
These tangible shifts often provoked confusion or resistance at the local level.
By 1552, the government had learnt from the Western Rebellion and took firmer measures to suppress opposition.
Additionally, Northumberland’s regime was more decisive in enforcing uniformity, and the reforms were introduced in a climate of tighter political control, limiting organised revolt.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
In which year was the First Act of Uniformity passed, and what did it make compulsory in parish churches?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying the year as 1549.
1 mark for stating that it made the Book of Common Prayer compulsory in parish churches.
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two ways in which the Second Prayer Book of 1552 marked a more radical shift towards Protestantism compared to the 1549 Prayer Book.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks for each valid explanation, supported with accurate detail.
Possible points include:
Removal of references to transubstantiation (1 mark for identifying, 2 marks for explaining how this emphasised a Reformed view of the Eucharist).
Replacement of stone altars with communion tables (1 mark for identifying, 2 marks for explaining how this symbolised a break with Catholic ritual and a shift to simplicity).
Simplification of clerical vestments to the surplice (1 mark for identifying, 2 marks for explaining its role in removing Catholic imagery).
Maximum 6 marks overall.
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