Scotland, England, and the Reformation 1534-1561 (Oxford Historical Monographs)

This Text Challenges The Accepted View Of The Reformation As Taking Different Courses In England And Scotland. Instead Clare Kellar Illuminates The Dynamic Religious Interplay Between The Neighbouring Realms, And Shows How The Processes Of Reform Were Thoroughly Intertwined. Clare Kellar. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [229]-244) And Index. According to traditional interpretations, the Reformations in England and Scotland had little in common: their timing, implementation, and very character marked them out as separate events. This book challenges the accepted view by demonstrating that the processes of reform in the two countries were, in fact, thoroughly intertwined. From England's Declaration of Royal Supremacy in 1534 to Scotland's religious revolution of 1559-61, interactions between reformers and lay people of all religious persuasions were continual. Religious upheavals in England had an immediate impact north of the border, inspiring fugitive activity, missionary preaching, and trade in literature. Among opponents of the new learning, cross-border activity was equally lively, and official efforts to maintain two separate religious regimes seemed futile. The continuing religious debate inspired a fundamental reconsideration of connections between the countries and the result would be a redefinition of the whole pattern of Anglo-Scottish relations Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy, passed by parliament in 1534, marked the beginning of an uncharted phase in the complex history of Anglo-Scottish relations.