Ch 7 Divisions over Religion: Arminianism Laudianism; Puritanism & Millenarianism to 1640 Flashcards Preview

Stuart History > Ch 7 Divisions over Religion: Arminianism Laudianism; Puritanism & Millenarianism to 1640 > Flashcards

Flashcards in Ch 7 Divisions over Religion: Arminianism Laudianism; Puritanism & Millenarianism to 1640 Deck (44)
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1
Q

-What religion were the majority of the Political Nation?

A
  • majority were conservative Calvinists Anglican in religion @ the centre of the Jacobethan balance
  • as such they were able to tolerate both moderate Puritanism & Arminianism
2
Q

-What was the problem with Puritanism?

A

-they believed they were selected to be saved by God, & were unpopular in many communities for appearing to see themselves better than their neighbours

3
Q

-What triggered Britain’s wars of religion?

A

-it was Charles’ favouring of Arminianism & specifically Laudianism in the 1630s that triggered Britain’s wars of religion by forcing a reaction from the Puritans and over time alienating the moderate Calvinist majority

4
Q

-What was the more accurate term for the anti-Calvinist Arminians?

A
  • more accurate to use the term ‘Laudians’ for the anti-Calvinist Arminians because William Laud’s promotions in the Church of England
  • Laud was promoted to Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633 at the death of the Calvinist George Abbot
5
Q

-Key characteristics at the heart of Laudianism

A
  • a rejection of predestination

- less emphasis on the Bible and preaching; with more emphasis on ritual and ceremony

6
Q

-What broke the Jacobethan balance?

A
  • generally the English population was moderately Calvinist, and so Charles I’s decision to side w/ Laudianism trying to impose a new more restrictive religious uniformity broke the Jacobethan balance
  • thus by 1640 most Protestants (Calvinists and Puritans alike) were united against Charles
7
Q

-What term describes the most notable aspect of Laudian influence on the decoration and appearance of churches?

A

-the term ‘beauty of holiness’

8
Q

-6 Laudian measures

A
  • communion table to be aligned north-south against the far east wall of the church (where the Catholic altar had been)
  • the space around the altar would be raised by steps
  • the chancel area to be separated from the rest of the Church by a rail
  • the altar to be covered with a decorated embroidered cloth
  • increased emphasis on ceremony
  • decoration such as stained glass window
  • increased use of music in services
  • ministers wearing vestments instead of plain robes
  • removal of the gentry’s ornamental pews
9
Q

-Where did Laudian measure greatest effect churches?

A
  • Laudian changes had the greatest effect in churches controlled by Puritans, who favoured plainly decorated churches
  • for them the physical changes to the church were elements of idolatry derived from all that was wrong about Catholicism
10
Q

-Laudianism emphasis on ceremony

A
  • Laudianism mirrors Catholicism w/ its emphasis on ceremony: church services were centred on the catechism (list of set statements that were laid out in a prayer book and recited at specific points in the service)
  • for Laud & Charles, the catechism gave church services conformity and order
  • for Puritans, all of this moved away from Bible as the sole word of God (what they saw was most important)
11
Q

-Laudianism campaigned against unlicensed preaching

A
  • Laud limited preaching to Sunday mornings & evenings as a means of controlling Puritans; Puritan preaching was further limited by a direct legal attack on the Feoffees for Impropriations in 1633 (an organisation, mainly for Puritans, which from 1626 raised money to control the appointment of clergy to parishes in order to establish Puritan preachers; Laud had the Feoffees banned in 1633 & the parishes they owned were taken over by the Laudians)
  • the attack should be seen in the context of Laud’s overall aim to restore the power and authority of the Church (which after 1625 was controlled by Arminians & Laudians) including the bishops, clergy and courts, over Puritan influence
  • restoration of Church lands and re-establishment of Church control over clergy appointments both helped this
  • the removal of pews that had been put into some churches by gentry to emphasise their social standing in the community further emphasised the power of the Church over laity
12
Q

-How were Laudian measures enforced?

A
  • visitations (official visits made by bishops to the parishes in their areas to report on whether everyone was conforming to the Laudian reforms)
  • visitations focused on the physical aspects of the churches and the performance of the ministers
  • how far Laudian measures were implemented and enforced in a local area still depended on the local bishop, vicars & gentry (in some areas like Nottinghamshire they were hostile to those who tried to impose changes on their parishes)
13
Q

-What became more focused during Charles I’s Personal Rule?

A
  • during his personal rule, Puritan ‘evidence’ for a Catholic conspiracy became more focused on Charles’ religious policies and also on the prominence of anti-Calvinist Arminians and Catholics at court
  • the presence of many Catholics at court as well as the access they had to Charles made it easy for Puritans to believe that the king was being influenced by them (Catholics including Charles’ wife Henrietta Maria)
14
Q

-What was part of Charles’ support of Arminianism?

A

-Charles’ support for Arminianism was due to his fear of Puritanism, its seeming threat to order & unity in Church as well as in his monarchy

15
Q

-What was passed in 1640 to codify Laud’s measures?

A
  • Church laws called canon laws were passed to codify Laud’s measures
  • by 1640 however, the authority of both Charles and Laud was collapsing under a Puritan backlash in both England and Scotland
16
Q

-How do you define Puritans?

A
  • the hotter sort of Protestants
  • place religion at the centre of their lives & sought to further reform the Church of England so that all aspects of Catholic practice & symbols were removed
  • focus on the importance of the Bible (believed the Bible gave them direct access to God and thereby direction for their lives)
  • extremely anti-Catholic
17
Q

-What was the view of most people during the 1630s?

A
  • during the 1630s many Protestants became increasingly concerned at the direction of Charles’ imposition of Laudianism and felt an increasing connection w/ the Puritan position
  • Arminian measures were soon too close to Catholicism, which pushed more Protestants towards Puritanism
  • Puritan ‘hotter’ Protestantism gave them the courage to make a stand against what they regarded as the imposition of Catholicism
18
Q

-What was St Gregory’s Case 1633 (Puritan opposition to Charles’ Personal Rule, 1629-40)?

A
  • first open sign of opposition to the religious changes
  • parishioners of St Gregory’s Church in London challenged the moving of their communion table to the east end of the church
  • the richly decorated cloth covering the table and the altar rail separating it from the rest of the congregation were also reminiscent of Catholicism & upsetting to Puritan sensibilities
  • the parishioners were brought before the Privy Council by Charles I as a test case
19
Q

-What was the case of John Williams 1637 (Puritan opposition to Charles’ Personal Rule, 1629-40)?

A
  • Bishop John Williams was imprisoned in 1637 as a result of published criticism of the altar policy in ‘The Holy Table, Name and Thing’
  • his criticism indicated that even terminology was a source of contention, because the word ‘altar’ was regarded as Catholic
20
Q

-What was the case of Prynne, Burton and Bastwick 1637 (Puritan opposition to Charles’ Personal Rule, 1629-40)?

A
  • well-respected Puritans Bastwick, Burton and Prynne brought before Court of Star Chamber (English court of law) for their criticisms of Church policy
  • Prynne previously appeared before courts in 1633 for his controversial pamphlet ‘Histrio-Mastix’
  • the 3 men found guilty of criticising Laud’s measures; each fined £5000 and imprisoned for life
  • public sympathy for them as were professionals: a lawyer, doctor and cleric (not a lot of people read or even agreed w/ their criticisms or their zest for Puritanism, but the number of people who knew them because of their punishment was much greater)
21
Q

-What was the case of John Lilburne 1638 (Puritan opposition to Charles’ Personal Rule, 1629-40)?

A
  • related case involving Puritan Lilburn who helped distribute Bastwick’s work
  • Lilburne was Puritan so opposed Laud
  • Feb 1638, he found guilty by the Star Chamber for printing unlicensed literature
  • fined, whipped and pilloried in public (brutality of the punishment was clear: he was tied naked to a cart which pulled him 2 miles from Fleet Prison to Westminster and every few miles he was whipped
  • then put back into prison but continued to write
22
Q

-What was a sign of discontent w/ the Laudian Church of England?

A

-sign of discontent w/ Laudianism was the high level of emigration to North America during the Personal Rule (1629-40)

23
Q

-What was Charles’ aim w/ Laudianism?

A

-conformity across all of his kingdoms

24
Q

-What alienated the Scottish elite?

A

-Charles policies and style of rule alienated Scottish elite

25
Q

What religion were the Scottish population? Why was this an issue?

A

-mostly Presbyterian in faith; their form of Puritanism meant that Charles’ imposition of Laudianism was even more infuriating

26
Q

-What did Charles & Laud resent about Scotland?

A
  • they had long resented the independence of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland
  • they wanted to align it w/ the Laudian Church of England and reform its practices and prayer book
27
Q

-What was the Act of Revocation (1625)?

A
  • Act of Revocation (1625); Charles exploited a feudal right to take land from the Scottish elite to support the Church of England
  • this act set the tone for Charles’ approach to Scotland
28
Q

-What was the immediate outcome of the Act of Revocation (1625)?

A
  • immediate outcome was it united landowners against Charles, as he posed a great threat to their power
  • Charles also issue a proclamation in 1625 commanding observation of the Articles of Perth; articles addressing 5 parts: kneeling @ communion, observance of holy days, private baptism, private communion and confirmation by bishops
  • to Presbyterians, the commands laid out in the articles looked like Catholicism
29
Q

-When did Charles go to Scotland to be crowned King in that country? What was the issue w/ this?

A
  • 1633
  • it was his first visit since becoming King of England in 1625 and the impression he created was not a positive one
  • the fact he had taken him 8 years to visit Scotland sent a clear sign to Scots of his priorities
30
Q

-Why was Charles coronation offensive to Scots in 1633?

A
  • offensive to Scottish sensibilities as Charles chose not to use the traditional coronation site at Scone or Stirling
  • instead, he chose Edinburgh’s Holyroad Palace; he also chose a form of ceremony that Scots saw as Catholic
  • Charles introduced the rank of bishop in Edinburgh and raised the church of St Giles to the status of a Cathedral; actions regarded as Catholic by Presbyterians
31
Q

-What did Charles announce in 1633 that would later leave to Scottish rebellion?

A

-Charles announced his intention to introduce a new prayer book, eventually leading to Scottish rebellion and the start of the British civil wars

32
Q

-What did Charles impose in Scotland in 1636?

A

-imposed new canons (Church laws) on Scotland; based on the articles of Perth

33
Q

-What were the key aspects of the new canons imposed on Scotland in 1636?

A
  • altar had to be placed against the east wall of the chancel
  • ministers had to wear a surplice when they celebrated communion
  • improvised prayer was banned; ministers had to read from the new prayer book
34
Q

-How were the new canons in Scotland interpreted in 1636?

A
  • interpreted as an attempt to return to Catholicism; what made the reforms worse was for Scots, they were imposed by royal prerogative
  • Charles made no attempts to allow the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland or the Scottish Parliament to have any say in the canons
35
Q
Key Chronology Timeline:
1625-
1633-
1633-
1633-
1633-
1633-
1636-
1637-
1637-
1637-
1637-
1638-
A

Key Chronology Timeline:
1625-Act of Revocation
1633-Laud becomes bishop of Canterbury
1633-Abolitionof Feoffees for Impropriations due to Puritan sympathies
1633-Prynne’s Histrio-Mastrix published
1633-St Gregory’s Case
1633-Charles visits Scotland
1636-New canons imposed in Scotland
1637-Trial of Prynne, Burton and Bastwick
1637-Bishop William fined for attacking Laud’s altar policy
1637-New prayer book introduced in Edinburgh
1637-Scottish rebellion
1638-Lilburne’s trial

36
Q

-When was the new Laudian prayer book introduced in Scotland?

A
  • 1637; imposed without any consultation w/ the Scottish Kirk or Parliament
  • not the introduction of English prayer book in Scotland, but a prayer book produced specifically for Scotland
37
Q

-Why did Scotland dislike the new prayer book?

A
  • had not involved consultation w/ the Scottish Kirk or Parliament
  • leaned clearly towards Catholicism
  • threatened their religious independence
  • triggered a conflict in St Giles Cathedral, starting the Scottish Rebellion and thus the British Civil Wars (1637-1660)
38
Q

-When was the first British Civil War?

A

1637-1660

39
Q

-What was most significant about the reaction to Laudianism?

A
  • most significant was not so much the open opposition of committed individuals such as Puritans, but the perception of Laudianism as part of Charles’ Personal Rule
  • it was not only what Charles did but also the way he did things that created the impression for many that he was undermining the Church and the state; and at worst striving for Catholicism and absolutism
40
Q

-What was Millenarianism?

A
  • belief important to English Protestantism of the end of the world
  • reaction against Laudianism, as people believed the political crisis was part of events leading to the end of the world; feared they would soon be judged on Judgement Day
  • this gave them a reason to take more political & public roles in the late 1630s
41
Q

-Who was the group most willing to take an open stand against Laudianism in the 1630s?

A

-Puritans

42
Q

-What had Charles done by breaking the Jacobethan balance?

A

-by breaking the balance he had forced religious divisions of the period into direct conflict

43
Q

-What sparked the British Civil Wars?

A

-the religious rebellion of the Presbyterian Scots

44
Q

-How does Morrill write of the Civil Wars?

A

-as wars of religion; and there can be little doubt that religion was a fundamental cause of conflict