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[[Image:Canterbury.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Canterbury Cathedral]] is the mother church of the Church of England]]

[[Image:Canterbury.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Canterbury Cathedral]] is the mother church of the Church of England]]

The '''Church of England''' (the mother church of the Anglican Church) is the English national church. The Church traces its history back to at least the fourth century A.D. It contains High Church elements (similar in ritual to the Roman Catholics), Low Church elements (similar to Methodists), and a Broad Church middle.  It is part of the worldwide [[Anglican Communion]].  Under King [[Henry VIII]] England broke with Rome and reasserted its independence in questions of religion.

The '''Church of England''' (the mother church of the Anglican Church) is the [[England|English]] national [[church]]. The Church traces its history back to at least the fourth century A.D. It contains High Church elements (similar in ritual to the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]]), Low Church elements (similar to [[Methodism|Methodists]]), and a Broad Church middle.  It is part of the worldwide [[Anglican Communion]].  Under King [[Henry VIII]] England broke with Rome and reasserted its independence in questions of [[religion]].

==Reformation==

==Reformation==

[[Image:Chester.jpg|thumb|350px|Chester Cathedral]]

[[Image:Chester.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Chester]] Cathedral]]

[[Henry VIII]], who reigned 1509-47, broke with the Pope on two issues, his divorce, and control over the Church inside England, as he declared himself head of the Church in England. Disagreement with Henry on religious issues was a political affront, and he could not tolerate it.  Moderate reform took place in the 1530s because Queen Anne and top aides [[Thomas Cranmer]] (1489-1556) and Cromwell had the king's ear and carried out attacks on the old religion. Queen Anne patronized and promoted clergy and bishops of a reforming turn of mind; Cromwell (1485?–1540), the Earl of Essex, was a convinced reformer and in effect the ruthless and unpopular prime minister from 1532 until he fell from favour and was beheaded in 1540. Cranmer (1489–1556) was archbishop of Canterbury after 1533.  Henry persecuted those who still held to Papal Supremacy, and encouraged Protestant ideas to flourish. Protestantism was officially established during the short reign of Henry’s son, Edward VI.   

[[Henry VIII]], who reigned 1509-47, broke with the [[Pope]] on two issues, his [[divorce]], and control over the Church inside England, as he declared himself head of the Church in England. Disagreement with Henry on religious issues was a political affront, and he could not tolerate it.  Moderate reform took place in the 1530s because Queen Anne and top aides [[Thomas Cranmer]] (1489-1556) and Cromwell had the king's ear and carried out attacks on the old religion. Queen Anne patronized and promoted clergy and bishops of a reforming turn of mind; Cromwell (1485?–1540), the Earl of Essex, was a convinced reformer and in effect the ruthless and unpopular prime minister from 1532 until he fell from favour and was beheaded in 1540. Cranmer (1489–1556) was archbishop of Canterbury after 1533.  Henry persecuted those who still held to Papal Supremacy, and encouraged Protestant ideas to flourish. Protestantism was officially established during the short reign of Henry’s son, Edward VI.   

After Henry's death in 1547, Cranmer wrote much of the first ''Book of Common Prayer'' (1549, revised 1552), the centerpiece of the Anglican liturgy.  The basic summary of Anglican beliefs and practices is the [[Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion]], written by Cranmer and adopted in 1563 under Queen [[Elizabeth I]]. In these foundational documents the supreme authority and sufficiency of scripture for salvation was explicitly stated. In Cranmer's theology, the Holy Spirit inspires the proper understanding of the Bible in the faithful.  

After Henry's death in 1547, Cranmer wrote much of the first ''Book of Common Prayer'' (1549, revised 1552), the centerpiece of the Anglican liturgy.  The basic summary of Anglican beliefs and practices is the [[Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion]], written by Cranmer and adopted in 1563 under Queen [[Elizabeth I]]. In these foundational documents the supreme authority and sufficiency of scripture for salvation was explicitly stated. In Cranmer's theology, the Holy Spirit inspires the proper understanding of the Bible in the faithful.