Examples Of G. R. Elton's Reformation

G.R. Elton shows how the reformation was political through the ideas that it was king support and king suppress and controlled by King Henry as an example and Euan Cameron did not have as strong of an argument by saying that the reformation was more religious through Martin Luther. The King support showed that the reformation was political because the reformation required the power of the princes and to get that power, they needed their support first. For example, for England to switch from a certain branch of Protestantism to another, they needed the support of the Pope and King to make it happen. The Church of England also forced people to accept that King Henry was the superior ruler of the church, showing that the reformation was political because the King was the leader of the Church. In addition, Elton argues that the governments required uniformity and that in that age, a government could no thrive with religion as its base of government. The king’s support shows the reformation was political because it needed the power of princes, made
people realize that the King was the ruler of the Church, and that a government would not work alongside religion. As well as the King’s support, the King’s suppress shows how the reformation was a political movement rather than a religious movement.
First of all, the King Charles V tried to suppress the Protestation with the Peace of Augsburg, which allowed the princes to select if they wanted Lutheranism or Calvinism for their territory. That act being passed shows that it is a political movement because of the political power used to get it passed into effect. Also, King Henry VIII took over the Catholic Church so he could get a divorce with his wife. He had to suppress the Church in order to do that with his political power. Lastly, the Catholic Church could not survive if the Kings suppressed it. That shows how that is a political movement and not a religious movement because if it was a religious movement, it wouldn’t have continued. So in conclusion, the reformation was a political movement because of the King’s suppressing
it. Cameron says that the movement was religious and spread through protests but it was really spread through the government. Religion in that time period only spread because politics and not because of the religious people and figures. For example, Martin Luther led protests against the Pope and monks as well as others did. Also, Cameron says this created a new basis for religious institutions for the entire nation. It may have created that, but it was due to the government and other officials spreading with their political power. Cameron may argue it was religious, but without the Kings and other powerful figures, it wouldn't have happened. As a result, the reformation was political rather than religious because the Kings and the Government was needed to move the reformation. The Kings supported and suppressed and that showed that this reformation was political. It wasn't a religious movement as Cameron tried to argue with the Protests of religious figures such as Martin Luther. The powerful figures of the time such as Kings were needed to spread the reformation and keep it going, so that shows that it was political reformation through the work of G.R. Elton.