Expert: Mark Smith - 11/12/2008

Question
Why did Henry VIII change the religion in England?

Answer
Hello Katie.
The main reason is that he wanted a divorce from Katherine of Aragon, but under the Catholic Church only the Pope could grant a divorce, and he wouldn't in Henry's case. So he simply created his own version of the Church with himself as Head so he could, in effect, grant himself a divorce. The Church of England as established in 1535 was in many ways similar to the Catholic Church in the early days. It did not evolve into the Protestant religion we know today until the reign of Henry's son Edward VI.
Mark