The English Reformation: Reasons why the Reformation would not have occurred without the Kings Great Matter?

Answer 1

Many times it is suggested that Henry the Eight and England broke away from Rome because Henry wanted a Divorce and Rome/the Pope said No. This is too simplistic. England had long been on course to veer off course. Events in Europe encouraged English dissenters to press for a break with Rome. The King's Great Matter was a catalyst, the tinder the kindling that captured the flame and allowed flames to burn/ Not because The Pope /Rome was not in the habit of NOT granting Divorce, in fact many a King had divorced their wives for far more frivolous reasons than Henry especially if one were willing to argue that an obscure passage in the Old Testament clearly said it was wrong to marry thy brother's widow.

What truly caused the break was the fact that 'thus far' Henry and his ministers has been playing the game by all the rules. Paying bribes and waiting patiently for the Pope to give an o-k. Henry and his ministers felt betrayed and at last said the H^ck with Rome.

The one who gets ignored in all this is Anne Boleyn. Pillow talk gets result. An ardent Protestant Anne did not just want to be Mrs Tudor she truly felt that it was B-S for England to bow & scrape in the face of Rome. Boleyn's relatives the Howards had taught Anne since infancy the fallacy of England being subservient to a 'foreign' Pope. One can imagine Anne admonishing Henry, "How dare the Pope to ignore you, to treat you like this, you are King of England, not The Pope."
Much like 'Weapons of Mass Destruction,' the Pope's quavering refusual to grant a Divorce was a good excuse to sever ties with Rome.

Peace.................... //// -----------O . u . O ------------- \\\