Conflict Between Henry VIII & Thomas More

The essential elements of the conflict over More's refusal to support the annulment can be seen in the wide context of conflicting spiritual and political priorities that dominated Europe during the Renaissance, and in the narrower context of More's private struggle over the moral authority of the church versus Henry's claim to the legitimacy and authority of his monarchy over spiritual matters within the confines of the monarchy. The interplay and conflict of church and state, as the term is now framed, surfaced over the claims for authority over the same issue. The presumptive inviolability of marriage as an article of faith was one aspect of this. However, the case of royal marriages were complicated. By custom and practice, royal persons might marry members of the nobility or among persons of their exclusive station. But if they chose the latter, marriage inevitably became a matter of both inter

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ched, not so much in matters of faith as in matters locating Church administration and jurisdiction in England. The Six Articles Abolishing Diversity in Opinions of 1539 appear to conform doctrinally with Roman Catholic orthodoxy. For example, the institutional religious doctrines of transubstantiation. However, what is most important about the articles is that they are framed by royal and not papal authority. The preamble to the act cites the presumption that "the King's most excellent Majesty is by God's law supreme head immediately under him of this whole church and congregation of England intending the conservation of the same Church and congregation" (Barry, 1985, p. 668). The well-known consequences to More of the King's matter were important because of his position as Lord Chancellor. More refused to confront the king's position directly by openly advocating the pope's position, but he also refused to take a positive stand in favor of the king. He resigned "as a protest against royal supremacy in spiritual affairs. He had tried to serve his sovereign faithfully in everything; now he saw that Henry's courses must inevitably conflict with his own conscientious beliefs" (Churchill, 1983, pp. 130-1). Logically speaking
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3590
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

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