Was Henry VIII the First Methodist?

 Third Wednesday of Lent

Lectionary Texts for Today:

OT: Exodus 20:12

NT: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

 

A couple of months ago I asked for suggestions for things I could write about in the blog. Glenn responded that he would like something on the history of the Church of England before and after John Wesley. As is often the case, it seems you guys are interested in my writing on things out of my field. I used to give my Ancient Historian's answer, " I don't know much about anything after 500 A.D., but then nothing very important has happened since then, anyway." I never had a course in English history, but I seem to have read a lot, or at least I've seen a few PBS series. I did have a course in Reformation history. That's where I'll start this series. I do have an uncanny memory for dates. It keeps me from having to look up a lot of stuff.

The answer to the question that is the title of this blog is, of course, "No." But in a significant way Henry VIII is crucial. He began the Church of England, a.k.a. the Anglican Church, from which Methodism would emerge two centuries later.

Henry (1491-1547) became king of England in 1509 after the death of Henry VII. The dynasty was the Tudors. He was only 18 when he assumed the throne. He was a deeply religious young man and a devout Catholic. He was horrified by what began with Martin Luther in 1517 in Europe, the Protestant Reformation. He took strong measures to see that the Reformation did not migrate to England. In 1522 the Pope designated Henry as Defensor Fidei (Defender of the Faith). Henry wrote a widely read book on Catholic doctrine. 

Royalty marry only other royalty in those days. That usually means going out of country for a spouse. Henry married a Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon. She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, who funded Columbus's voyages. Henry and Catherine had a child, a girl named Mary. They had no other children. England had never had a female reigning monarch. Henry and Catherine had no other children. Henry needed a son, a male heir. While it was common for kings to father children outside of their marriages, such children would not be heirs to the throne.

 

Henry became smitten with a young woman named Anne Boleyn. She was English, not from a royal family but from a family in the English aristocracy. She wanted to be Queen. He wanted to be married to her. Divorce was (and still is) illegal in the Catholic Church. Henry petitioned the Pope for an annulment from Catherine. The Spanish royal family vehemently opposed. Spain was far wealthier and more powerful than England at that time. The Pope, not wishing to offend a major ally, refused Henry's request. 

in 1533 Henry obtained a divorce from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. Both knew they would be excommunicated. In 1534 Henry married Anne Boleyn. He declared himself Head of the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer remained as Archbishop of Canterbury, but now Anglican rather than Catholic. He would write and ten years later publish the first edition of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). 

Henry had no intention of making any doctrinal changes in his new church. He did not see the new Church of England as a Protestant Church. But changes would come.

Henry and Anne Boleyn had one child. Once again it was a girl. Her name was Elizabeth. Henry and Anne's marriage did not last long. We'll pick up there next time.

O Lord our God,

Help us in this study to grow in understanding of our Church and the faith it proclaims. 

In Christ's name. Amen.

 

Faithfully,

Christian