' In the more specific sense the term is applied to those particular churches associated with Henry VIII "

Although many misinformed people associate The Church of England with King Henry VIII , this is incorrect. He denounced the Pope yes, but he remained Roman Catholic all his life until the day of his death. He just dared to make himself head of the Roman Catholic church in England. he kept all of the Roman Catholic Priests and chruches. It wasn't until Elizabeth I the The Anglican Church was established. Elizabeth I ascended the throne (1558), and the Church of England was established. The Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-nine Articles became the standards for liturgy and doctrine. Christianity came to England in the 2nd Century, then came the Roman Catholics , then King Henry made himself head of the Roman Catholics in England, then came Catherine and she reestablished the Pope and then came Elizabeth who actually established The Anglican church with Anglican priest and Anglican prayer books and Anglican Hymnals and Anglican churches.
Am I the only Episcopal on this forum ? Anyhow, we get a bit touchy when folks say to us "do you realize why your church was formed ?" They want to tell us we only have a church because someone wanted a divorce. The reasons for Elizabeth establishing The Church are a bit lengthy to post here. But in part it had to do with the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church (at the time ) and and the mighty power it had in Europe.

Peace
Billie

This is very interesting!

I am a Roman Catholic but I couldn't help noticing your thread here. In history lessons I was never taught this but you, I think, know the history of your own Church better than me. Thank you for teaching me the new thing I will learn for today.

Matthew

Thank you Matthew and sorry I'm so late thanking you, I've been busy and haven't been spending time on the forum.

Have a beautiful day
Billie

It had even more to do with the fact that the Pope proclaimed Elizabeth a bastard and thus inelligible for the throne of England, pronounced Anathema against her, gave Roman Cathloics permission to violate their oaths to her, and actively supported the Spanish in their desire to conquer England.

There was also the whole issue of the secularization of monastic lands, but that wasn't something Elizabeth had done, merely inherited.

I like the Anglicans, generally...and used to love the old Book of Common Prayer services.

"Be seeing you...."

__________________
Grassaf, Eolas

I don't know much about English history, even though I'm English and I've lived here all my life.

But wasn't Bloody Mary before Elizabeth I, and didn't her reign see the killings of many protestants?



I'm only coherent enough to suspect this much because I looked her name up in the encyclopedia 2 days back.

Please let me know if I've got it all higgledy-piggledy.

No, you're right. Mar wasn't exactly NICE to the Protestants...I like what Jane Austen wrote about her:

"This woman had the good luck of being advanced to the throne of England, in spite of the superior pretensions, Merit and Beauty of her Cousins Mary Queen of Scotland and Jane Grey. Nor can I pity the Kingdom for the misfortunes they experienced during her reign, since they fully deserved them..."

Getting back to the Church of England, many people argue that we Anglicans are neither protestant nor Catholic. "The Middle Way" is an interesting idea, that Anglicanism takes the best of the protestant religions and combines it with the best of the Catholic church.

Thank you for confirming my knowledge of history, paleepiscopalianalien. This is the first time I've seen your reply to my queries.

I wrote them so long ago I can't remember having known that Bloody Mary came before Elizabeth I !

And in response to billieewing's question "Am I the only Episcopal on this forum ?" I can tell you the answer is no; I see paleepiscopalianalien identifies him- or her-self as Anglican, and Anglicans seem to be Episcopals, although I never hear the word "Episcopal" used much over here in England. I suppose I am an Episcopal too now, since I was re-baptised at a Church of England service earlier this year, making me an Anglican, at least nominally.

Mind you, I haven't done the Alpha Course yet, and my thoughts and deeds tend to veer away from what I'd call "Christian" very frequently; for instance, I'd intended to be upstairs saying my prayers by now !!

I hope you are well and happy, billieewing, and also ushi_ra, Eolas Pellor, and paleepiscopalalien !