The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church [Paperback]

G.W. Bernard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

Henry VIII’s reformation remains among the most crucial yet misunderstood events in English history. In this substantial new account G. W. Bernard presents the king as neither confused nor a pawn in the hands of manipulative factions. Henry, a monarch who ruled as well as reigned, is revealed instead as the determining mover of religious policy throughout this momentous period.

In Henry’s campaign to secure a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, which led him to break with Rome, his strategy, as Bernard shows, was more consistent and more radical than historians have allowed. Henry refused to introduce Lutheranism, but rather harnessed the rhetoric of the continental reformation in support of his royal supremacy. Convinced that the church needed urgent reform, in particular the purging of superstition and idolatry, Henry’s dissolution of the monasteries and the dismantling of the shrines were much more than a venal attempt to raise money. The king sought a middle way between Rome and Zurich, between Catholicism and its associated superstitions on one hand and the subversive radicalism of the reformers on the other. With a ruthlessness that verged on tyranny, Henry VIII determined the pace of change in the most important twenty years of England’s religious development.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It is commonplace to attribute the birth of the Church of England to Henry VIII's desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. Bernard, professor of early modern history at the University of Southampton, demonstrates that Henry's reformation of the English church involved more complex motives and methods than his desire for a new wife and an heir. Bernard examines in meticulous detail the issues surrounding the divorce, including Henry's assertion that his first marriage had never been valid. But the divorce was only one factor in Henry's desire to reform the church. In 1536-37, he instituted a number of statutes-the act of appeal, the act of succession, the act of supremacy and others-that dealt with the relationship between the king and the pope and the structure of the Church of England. During these years, Henry also suppressed monasteries and pilgrimage shrines in his attempt to reform the church. Bernard offers a magisterially exhaustive account of Henry's religious reforms, his opponents, and his supporters, as well as the ways that Henry's policies led to the political and religious reformations of Thomas Cranmer and Oliver Cromwell. This is a first-rate account of a controversial king and his role in the development of the English church.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"'This is a brave book, tilting at many windmills, challenging many received ideas. It will certainly stimulate discussion... Everyone interested in the Tudor Reformation will therefore want to read this book.' Eamon Duffy, The Tablet 'If Bernard fails to turn consensus around, it will not bother him too much. Throughout this massively learned book, as in much of his other writing, he is the only one in step... Bernard strikes out on his own, and sees Henry as the guiding light through all this encircling gloom.' Patrick Collinson, London Review of Books 'A model of meticulous research' Alastair Hamilton, Times Literary Supplement 'Professor Bernard writes in elegant trenchant English. He orders a mass of material with lucidity... This massive history, the fruit of a lifetime of research and reflection, is a work of exceptional interest and importance.' The Spectator 'A bold and strikingly original book.' Andrew Pettegree, History Today '... the book is a superb achievement. It advances an extraordinarily skilled understanding of the intricate relationship of religious belief, religious life, political necessity and political opposition. It will infuriate a great many people, but inspire a great many more.' Lucy Wooding, Literary Review"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300122713
• ISBN-13: 978-0300122718
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #913,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Research Tour de Force, August 14, 2006

By 

Abelard Spring - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church (Hardcover)

This new volume from G. W. Bernard is truly a masterful compendium, beautifully researched and documented. Its topic is one that all too often is overshadowed by religious polemics and partial analysis. Bernard, however, falls prey to neither of these limitations as he plumbs the documentary evidence and previous research of others to offer intimate details of the issues revolving around Henry VIII, his spouses, his realm, and his "remaking of the English church." Carefully and methodically, the author moves through the issues involved, while offering fresh insight and the evidence to support his contentions. From personal letters of the monarch and official papers of state, he delves deeply into every available source to give as complete a picture of the time as humanly possible. If the English Reformation fascinates you, as it does me, you will find in this fine volume a treasure trove of information. For those looking for something lighter, or for an introductory volume, this probably is not the place to start. But as a reference or as a detailed study, I can imagine no better place to turn. To Bernard, I say "bravo"!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magisterial Work, April 8, 2006

By 

Mark Rufo "M. Rufo" (Nashua, New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church (Hardcover)

At well over seven hundred pages (including a hundred of fine printed notes), G.W.Bernard's history of Henry VIII's reformation of the English Church is likely to be the gold standard on the topic for years to come. The prose is lucid and the author's mastery of his subject matter is beyond doubt. The reader should be warned that this is not a work for someone approaching the topic cold. You don't need a post graduate degree in Tudor studies to enjoy this book, but it assumes the reader is already familiar with the general history of the period. Some limitations I should note. Bernard says little about England as part of a European community. What I call the "Planet England" school of historiography is unfortunately unavoidable in most English language histories, and this is no exception. Also Bernard avoids the vast topic of how people in Tudor England viewed the world. On this subject I recommend E.M.W.Tillyard's "The Elizabethan World Picture." Nearly fifty years old and small enough to put in your pocket, it is still the best summary of this important matter. Law was essential to how these people thought, and Bernard is too cursory here, which removes a whole dimension. We see what was done but without a full understanding of why. Also the language has changed appreciably over the last 400 years. When quotes are given from Henry VIII's contemporaries, even Bernard tends to view them as if coming off the BBC News. People used language VERY carefully back then, with a richness and precision that has been sadly lost. Some effort might have been made to regain it. Caveat lector. But with these limitations in mind, this book is still essential for anyone seriously interested in why we live in the modern world and not under the rule of the Popes.