The Church of Mary Tudor (Catholic Christendom, 1300 - 1700)

The reign of Queen Mary is largely remembered for her re-introduction of Catholicism into England, and the persecution of Protestants, so vividly immortalised in John Foxe's 'Acts and Monuments'. Yet, due to the benefit of historical hindsight, Mary's brief reign has often been skated over as a blip in England's march to triumphant Protestantism, as scholars hurry past the Smithfield pyres on their way to dissect the ecclesiastical edifice erected by her more sympathetic sister. In order to better assess Mary's religious policies, this volume explores the theology, pastoral practice and ecclesiastical administration of the Church in England during her reign. Focusing on the neglected Catholic renaissance which she ushered in, the book traces its influences and emphases, its methods and its rationales - together the role of Philip's Spanish clergy and native English Catholics - in relation to the wider influence of the continental Counter Reformation and Mary's humanist learning. By measuring these issues against the reintroduction of papal authority into England, and the balance between persuasion and coercion used by the authorities to restore Catholic worship, a more nuanced and balanced view of Mary's religious policies is offered. By addressing such intriguing and unanswered questions as these, this volume casts new light, not only on Marian Catholicism, but also on the wider European religious picture. The reign of Queen Mary is largely remembered for her re-introduction of Catholicism into England, and the persecution of Protestants, so vividly immortalised in John Foxe's 'Acts and Monuments'. Yet, due to the benefit of historical hindsight, Mary's brief reign has often been skated over as a blip in England's march to triumphant Protestantism, as scholars hurry past the Smithfield pyres on their way to dissect the ecclesiastical edifice erected by her more sympathetic sister. In order to better assess Mary's religious policies, this volume explores the theology, pastoral practice and ecclesiastical administration of the Church in England during her reign. Focusing on the neglected Catholic renaissance which she ushered in the book traces its influences and emphases, its methods and its rationales - together the role of Philip's Spanish clergy and native English Catholics - in relation to the wider influence of the continental Counter Reformation and Mary's humanist learning. By measuring these issues against the reintroduction of papal authority into England, and the balance between persuasion and coercion used by the authorities to restore catholic worship, a more nuanced and balanced view of Mary's religious policies is offered. By addressing such intriguing and under-researched matters from a variety of literary, political and theological perspectives, this volume casts new light, not only on Marian Catholicism, but also on the wider European religious picture.