Have you ever wondered why the Church of England separated from the (Universal) Catholic church? Many people I have spoken with say it was because of the reformation. This is partially true, but the events leading to this separation were interesting. This was an historic event in the history of the Christian church. This issue is debated still today, but one significant event which lead to this separation was a wedding which occurred on this day in 1509.
King Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon. This marriage resulted in Catherine not being able to provide a son for the king as an heir. The king therefore found a new wife who became pregnant. An issue arose because for the child, if a son, to be a legitimate heir to the throne, the king had to be legally married to his new “wife”.
The king’s request to Pope Clement VII for a divorce were denied based on several reasons. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer was willing to provide a divorce to the king, however needed the pope’s approval, or did he?
King Henry VIII called a “Reformation Parliament” and started the ecclesiastical independence from the Catholic church in Rome. In 1533 the king being divorced from Catherine, was married to Anne Boleyn. In 1534 the final steps were taken for separation of the Church in England from the Catholic church.
There have been books in recent times written by historians who believe other factors played a far more critical role in the actions by the king. Looking back over the history of the church we can see God’s Providence and Sovereignty in all the events, along with sinful actions by humans.
In Matt. 16:18 Christ stated He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The church of Christ has continued through the centuries and will continue. When you study the history of the Christian church this becomes very evident.
Most modern protestant/evangelical Christian churches in America can trace their church roots back to the Church of England. Knowing some of the history of the church, especially your specific denomination is critical I think in this post-modern age when churches are trying to establish their identity for the future.
A good recent book on these events is listed below, this is not an endorsement for the book, but a reference for further reading if this short glimpse of history sparked your interest:
Bernard, G.W. The King’s Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2007.
In Christ,
The Sword of the Spirit 