Shakespeare’s Religion During Shakespeare’s time, the majority of the people in England were Protestants. They believed in the Church of England, which was started by King Henry VIII. In 1534, Henry broke away from the pope through the Act of Supremacy. This act declared, ‘ The King’s majesty… to be… the only supreme head in the earth of the Church of England.
Henry had a plan to gain power, and he simply executed it. Shortly after breaking away from the pope, King Henry decided to close down all monasteries within England. In doing so, he gained 1/3 of the lands within England. He, then sold the land to nobles and members of the rising middle class. Suddenly, there were many English landowners who stood to lose property if England returns to the Catholic Church. This group will soon become the foundation of support for the Protestant Reformation in England.
Protestants believe that Jesus is both their: Lord and Savior. Lord refers to Jesus being the ruler of all things, and Savior refers to his saving of people from spiritual death and sin. They take Jesus as being God and Jesus. The more formal Protestants would pray to God on a daily basis, go to church on Sunday and a weekday.
Baptism occurs when a person believes that Jesus Christ is his or her personal ‘savior.’ King Henry began the Church of England to divorce one wife and get another. Interesting to see how love can make a man achieve the most awe-inspiring things. The Elizabethan era was truly a golden age for England. Not only were the arts and trade flourishing, but the military was also becoming quite fearsome. As the Renaissance hit England, religion became a more quid pro quo situation for many. You do good for God and his children, God gives you eternal life in heaven as a thank-you..