The Religious Settlement

• Elizabeth thought the best thing to do was to enforce the Religious Settlement

• It was a document broken into three parts

• It outlined the religion of England and how it should be enforced 

• She perceived it to be the Middle Way, a compromise between Catholics' and Protestants' beliefs

The Act of Supremacy

• It stated that Elizabeth was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England 

  • She used a different title so that Catholics didn’t feel as if the Pope was being challenged 

• All clergy and royal officials had to swear an oath of loyalty to her 

The Act of Uniformity

• It outlined how churches and services would be conducted 

• The Book of Common Prayer was introduced

  • It was to be followed in all services

  • The wording was deliberately vague so both Protestants and Catholics could interpret sections in their own way

  • Services were to be spoken in English

  • Ornaments and decorations were to be allowed 

  • The singing of hymns was permitted 

  • Offerings of bread and wine would take place but there wouldn’t be an explanation of how they should be received 

• Everybody was required to attend Church

The Royal Injunctions

• Ensured all clergy taught the Act of Supremacy 

• All recusants (those who refused to attend church) were to be reported to the Privy Council and fined a week’s wage

• Priests 

  • Needed Government licenses 

  • Vestments were worn

  • Pilgrimages and religious shrines were to be banned 

• An Ecclesiastical High Commission was established 

  • This kept discipline

  • This also punished recusants 

The Impact

• 8,000 of the 10,000 clergies accepted it

• Most ordinary people accepted the Religious Settlement 

  • Everyone attended Church

  • Even Catholics attended as they privately maintained Catholic beliefs 

• However, all but one of Mary’s bishops resigned rather than take the oath