Why did Henry the VIII change Christianity?

Question

is it because of his lust for sex. or his idea of increasing the royal population.

Answer 1

the church refused to grant him a divorce becuase his wife gave birth to a girl and not a boy so he started his own church

Answer 2

He didn't change Christianity, he broke away from the power of the Pope in Rome.

But probably he could only have done so because Christianity was already beginning to change - at least across western Europe. The Reformation was under way: there was agitation to correct Catholic 'abuses' like the sale of indulgences, to bring the Bible to the people in their own language and to question many received ideas in theology.

Henry was happy to go with the flow for his own purposes; and he was not blind to the fact that the monasteries in this country were failing in terms of numbers and influence but were very rich indeed. So, basically, he helped himself!

And, in fairness to Henry, he only beheaded two of his six wives. Hardly a habit!

Answer 3

Short Answer: Money and Power. Henry's son was actually born after his first wife had died naturally.

Long Answer: He actually want an annulment (not a divorce) from his first wife Catherine of Aragon who had only given him one female child and could not longer have children. He would of actually would of been grated an annulment (as she was briefly married to his older brother Arthur) except her nephew Charles of Spain had sacked Rome and was in control of the Pope.

In the rest of Europe there was growing opposition to the Catholic church which was very corrupt. All Catholic services were in Latin, and with the except of Poland all the countries who language does not origin from Latin broke free of the Catholic church at this time. And translated the Bible into their own language.

So faced with a wife he couldn't get rid of, and a mistress (later his second wife Anne Boleyn) who wouldn't sleep with him if he didn't marry her, he took the opportunity to move towards Protestantism. This make him the head of the church and allowed him not only to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon (and later Anne of Cleves) but also to take the very large amount of money that was in the monasteries.

It also worth noting many feel that Henry never really belived in Protestantism and was certainly not fanatical about it. Also his father Henry VII had the weakest claim to the throne of any king of England (Henry VII had basically upsurped the throne from Richard III marking the end of the War of the Roses) and this was why having a heir was so important.

Answer 4

It is power. Christianity has question his power and authority because of his worldly outlook on life. Though an authority of the Christian, He has no faith of the Holy Kingdom. To Him it is just a religion. There is no intimacy or partnership relationship between Him and God. It is not real to him anymore and he find it good to command it in his own way . The problem is how to pacify the followers. In his craftiness he retain the gospel of Christ but add a new doctrine. The power of the Holy Ghost at that time was low or not active for reason i could not understand. This I think only. Can or Cannot. You ask so I think

Answer 5

The Pope at the time was extremely powerful. With most countries in Europe being Catholic and having allegiance to the Pope. The Pope could dictate laws and even even demand the monarchs go to war with different countries. Having the pope on your side meant you could get the support of other countries by persuading the pope you needed to go to war with such and such country. I believe that the Spanish monarchy had blood ties with the Pope which made Spain very powerful. King Henry did not like the Catholic church holding this much power. His divorce to Kathryn of Aragon, a Spanish princess would have offended the Catholic church and the pope who was related to her family. The King would have been excommunicated by the Pope, which meant that no catholic could have trade with Britain. Furthermore, the Pope could order the rest of Europe to go to war with Britain. So, Henry took this opportunity to free himself and Britain once and for all from the dictates of the Pope and the Catholic church.

Answer 6

No, you should ask this in the history section. He did not change Christianity, he just changed the TYPE of Christianity in England. He changed it because he wanted to divorce his wife. Also he did want to increase HIS royal population, all monarchies did.

Answer 7

Henry the 8th requested a divorce but the Pope (Head of the catholic church) refused. Henry then decided to start a new branch - the Protestant Church and got rid of his wife!

Answer 8

He created the church of England, over which the monarchy had control of, so that he had the right to re-marry after divorcing his first wife who could not bare him a male heir, which was forbidden under Catholic beliefs.

In the end it was all in vane as his only male heir died young and unmarried thus ending the male bloodline.

It was, ultimately, Elizabeth I and Martin Luther that actually founded the protestant church by applying some sort of moral code to her father's "groundwork".

Answer 9

He wanted a divorce fom his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, as she hadn't provided him with a male heir. The Roman Catholic church wouldn't grant a divorce so he separated from Rome and became head of the Church in England. The leaders of this newly-formed church then granted him the divorce he wanted.

Answer 10

He got bored.

I'm Henry the eighth I am,
Henry the eighth I am I am,
I got married to the widow next door,
She's been married seven times before,
And every one was a Henry (Henry),
She wouldn't have a Willie or a Sam (no sam)
I'm her eighth old man, I'm Henry,
Henry the eighth I am

Answer 11

henry the vii broke away from the catholic church and started the church of england because the pope wouldn't allow henry to divorce catherine of aragon (spain) to marry anne boline. he also saw this as a way of confiscating the wealth of the church and keeping it for himself.