THE P RTAL
March 2015
Page 7
The Popes
and the Ordinariate
Dr Harry Schnitker re-asesses the beginning of the English Reformation
The Battle
of Bosworth left Richard III dead on the field and made Henry Tudor King of England.
It was also the beginning of a new era in Church history, albeit only the prehistory of what would become
the most profound changes since the advent of Christianity in the country. Had Richard prevailed on
the battlefield, the Tudors would never have reigned, and Henry VIII would have remained a footnote, a
nobleman with a propensity to overindulging in everything from food and drink to women.
This is a stark statement. Surely the English
Reformation had deeper roots than just the failure to
resolve the stand-off between monarch and Papacy
over the King’s marriage? Until very recently, the
answer to that question would have been a resounding
‘yes’. Centuries of non-Catholic thinking on the
Reformation in England had posited a Protestantism
from below, a popularly carried overthrow of
Catholicism.
England could see its history only as a progression
from Catholicism to Protestantism, and could not
conceive of the idea that it had swallowed Tudor
propaganda lock, stock and barrel. Along came Jack
Scarisbrick’s Henry VIII, followed by Eamon Duffy
and The Stripping of the Altars and a whole new picture
emerged, one of a reform imposed from above by the
state on a people at peace with their Faith as Catholics.
to Cambridge, whilst Margaret founded two colleges
there.
Morton died in 1500 and was spared the despair
and cruelty that befell the other two. Less pious than
Morton (who had at least an interest in religion)
and certainly not a holy man like Fisher and More,
Richard Foxe was the other great Churchman of the
age. He rose rapidly through the ranks, supported by a
grateful king who leaned heavily upon so-called ‘new
men’ like Foxe.
He would end his life as Bishop of Winchester, having
held progressively more lucrative episcopal seats in
succession. His Church career was merely a means
of giving him elevated titles and saving the king the
expense of paying one of his most trusted civil servants.
Foxe rather redeemed himself during the next reign,
when he opposed the king’s erratic foreign policy.
In that world, the Church that had ruled England This caused him to devote much time to his diocese,
alongside the monarchy still held sway. The important where he was responsible for far-reaching reforms
foe of Richard III, John Morton, Bishop of Ely, was of his clergy. He also emulated Margaret Beaufort by
appointed to the Archiepiscopal see of Canterbury founding Corpus Christi College in Oxford.
and became a mainstay of the new regime. He was
The early Tudor Church was in many ways in a
rewarded with the red hat and became a Cardinal.
Interestingly, this close ally of the first Tudor was the good place. It had a devout laity, little of the ferment
mentor of the most important foe of the second Tudor: of Protestantism that was to be found over much of
St Thomas More. That other great upholder of Papal the Continent and powerful Church leaders. Those
supremacy over England’s Church, St John Fisher, was leaders encouraged the new learning of Humanism
another stalwart of Henry VII’s household. Fisher was and took the lead to establish new colleges in Oxford
Proctor of Cambridge University. That post saw him and Cambridge, where they themselves contributed
elevated to become the confessor of the King’s mother, significantly to learning.
Margaret Beaufort.
As stated, Morton died in 1500; Foxe followed him
Margaret was a truly formidable woman. As the to the grave in 1528. That just left the rather inept
King’s mother, she was widely regarded as the King’s Thomas Wolsey to uphold the Church’s political
most important adviser, indeed, as the person who clout, for both More and Fisher were too rigid to play
took many of the monarch’s decisions. Fisher’s diplomatic games. When the blow came, the English
presence ensured that those decisions reflected the Church simply lacked efficient leaders to withstand its
needs and concerns of the Church. Between them, impact.
Queen Mother and confessor introduced Humanism
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