Was the Henrician Reformation inevitable?

... Was the Henrician Reformation inevitable? In 1534 Henry VIII was declared " the only Supreme Head on Earth of the Church in England...having full power and authority.....to the pleasure of Almighty God1" The Reformation resulted in both political changes such as the headship of the Church, and religious movement away from strong Catholic beliefs such as superstition and purgatory. Traditional historians such as G.R.Elton and A.G.Dickins hold widely different views to revisionist historians such a C.Haigh and J.J.Scarisbrick concerning if the Henrician reformation was inevitable or not. Yet which of these views is most creditable? Henry wanted increased power and he saw that by becoming the supreme head, the church could bring him increased power and revenues. According to J.J Scarisbrick, there were two political ideas present in Henry's mind. The first was that he must get his divorce and the idea of 'caesaropapism' was one that seemed to grow with

want to read more? →