Grace Thompson
Queen Elizabeth II was the Supreme Governor and Defender of the Faith of the Church of England, which broke away from Roman Catholicism in the 16th century. She was a committed Christian and often spoke openly about the strength she drew from her faith. While the British Royal Family practices Anglicanism, Queen Elizabeth II is credited with mending the divide between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Christian |
| Church | Church of England, Church of Scotland |
| Title | Defender of the Faith, Supreme Governor of the Church of England |
| Role | The Queen played a part in healing the divide between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Elizabeth II is Anglican
Queen Elizabeth II was the Supreme Governor and Defender of the Faith of the Church of England, which broke away from Roman Catholicism in the 16th century. The title "Defender of the Faith" dates back to 1521 when King Henry VIII was bestowed the title by Pope Leo X. However, when the Pope refused to annul his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, King Henry VIII renounced the Papacy's authority and broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. Following this, he established himself as the "only supreme head of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia".
Queen Elizabeth II was a committed Christian and often referred to her faith in her annual Christmas broadcasts. She respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good in the world, and a way of bringing communities together. She was involved with many faith-related charities, including the National Churches Trust, The Boys' Brigade, and the YMCA.
Every Maundy Thursday, the day on which Christians commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus, the Queen distributed special Maundy money to local pensioners. In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, the Maundy service could not be held in person, so the Queen sent the Maundy coins and personal letters to the recipients.
In 1970, Queen Elizabeth II became the first Sovereign to inaugurate and address the General Synod, the legislative body of the Church of England, in person. She then inaugurated and addressed the opening session of the General Synod every five years after diocesan elections.
During her Golden Jubilee, the Queen celebrated with many British non-Christian communities, visiting the Highgate Hill Murugan (Hindu) Temple, the Manchester Jewish Museum, an Islamic Centre in Scunthorpe, and the Guru Nanak Gurdhwara in Leicester.
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The Church of England broke with Catholicism in the 16th century
The Church of England broke away from Catholicism in the 16th century. This event was part of the wider European Reformation, which included various religious and political movements that affected both the practice of Christianity in Western and Central Europe and the relationship between church and state. The English Reformation began as more of a political affair than a theological dispute.
In 1527, King Henry VIII requested an annulment of his marriage, but Pope Clement VII refused. In response, the Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared Henry to be the head of the Church of England. Final authority in doctrinal disputes now rested with the monarch. Henry relied on Protestants to support and implement his religious agenda. The theology and liturgy of the Church of England became markedly Protestant during the reign of Henry's son, Edward VI (1547-1553), largely along lines laid down by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. During this time, acts of parliament gradually imposed new practices: communion in both kinds, removing statues and altars from churches, and allowing married priests. In 1549, mass in Latin was abolished and replaced by liturgy in English using Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer.
After Henry's death, the Church of England was a Catholic Church without a pope. Under Mary I (1553-1558), Catholicism was briefly restored. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement reintroduced the Protestant religion but in a more moderate manner. In 1558, Elizabeth I, Henry VIII's daughter, became queen. She rejected both Calvinism and Catholicism and wanted peace in her kingdom. She achieved this with the Religious Settlement, which Parliament passed in May 1559. The Church of England was established at the wish of the sovereign and Parliament and was a national Church, independent from Rome and Geneva. Anglicanism was thus established, often called the "middle way".
The current Queen, Elizabeth II, is a committed Christian and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. She has often referred to her faith in her annual Christmas broadcasts and has been involved with many faith-related charities.
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The Queen's role as Defender of the Faith
Queen Elizabeth II was the head of the Church of England and held the title "Defender of the Faith". This role was an important element of her position as a monarch and a deeply personal part of her life.
The title "Defender of the Faith" dates back to Henry VIII, who was first given the title by Pope Leo X. Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn. It was his daughter by Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I, who knew it is only Christ who is the Head of the Church, and therefore took the title "Supreme Governor" for herself, and in which all British monarchs have taken since.
Queen Elizabeth II was a committed Christian and often referred to her faith in her annual Christmas broadcasts. She respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good in the world, and a way of bringing communities together. She hosted the leaders of numerous faiths and denominations and visited many different places of worship in the UK and across the Commonwealth. During her Golden Jubilee, the Queen celebrated with many British non-Christian communities, visiting the Highgate Hill Murugan (Hindu) Temple, the Manchester Jewish Museum, an Islamic Centre in Scunthorpe, and the Guru Nanak Gurdhwara in Leicester. To mark the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh attended a multi-faith reception at Lambeth Palace, hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and attended by the leaders of eight other faiths in the UK.
The Queen was involved with many faith-related charities, including the National Churches Trust, The Boys' Brigade, and the YMCA. Every Maundy Thursday, the day on which Christians commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus, the Queen distributed special Maundy money to local pensioners.
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The Queen's involvement with non-Christian communities
Queen Elizabeth II played a role in more than just political affairs as the head of the royal family. She also helped lead the Church of England and held the title of "Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England". The Queen was a committed Christian and often spoke openly about her faith, especially in her annual Christmas broadcasts. She respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good in the world and a way of bringing communities together.
During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II made dialogue with non-Anglican Christian churches and non-Christian religious communities a priority. She recognized the increasing reality of Great Britain, especially England, as a multifaith nation. The Queen celebrated with many British non-Christian communities during her Golden Jubilee, visiting the Highgate Hill Murugan (Hindu) Temple, the Manchester Jewish Museum, an Islamic Centre in Scunthorpe, and the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Leicester. To mark her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, she and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a multi-faith reception at Lambeth Palace, hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and attended by the leaders of eight other faiths in the UK.
The Queen's efforts to build a new relationship with the Catholic Church included ongoing interactions with the popes. She met with Pope Pius XII in 1951, two years before she took the throne, and with Pope John XXIII ten years later, becoming only the second reigning monarch of the UK to meet with any pope. An official state visit with Pope John Paul II followed in 1980, and that pope made a pastoral visit to Great Britain two years later, the first time any pope had ever traveled there. Archbishop Martin expressed gratitude for the Queen's efforts in crossing "safe boundaries" and interacting with the Catholic Church, noting that she had met five different popes during her reign.
The Queen also supported the Jewish community in Britain. She participated in Holocaust commemorations and visited memorials, including a 2015 trip to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, 70 years after it was liberated by the Allies. In 2011, she became the first reigning monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland, a signal of support for the republic's independence.
Queen Elizabeth II's commitment to British religious life and her work to foster dialogue and tolerance among different faiths have been recognized by religious leaders and organizations. Dr. Kirkpatrick described the Queen as acting as a "bridge between religious and non-religious communities," while Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis noted that her interest in Judaism went beyond duty. In 2007, the Three-Faiths Forum, an organization dedicated to building understanding and relationships between people of all faiths, recognized the Queen's efforts in this area.
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The Queen's meetings with the Pope
The Queen is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, which is a Protestant Anglican church. However, she has also had several significant meetings with the leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope. Here is some information about their meetings:
The Queen has met with multiple Popes during her reign, which has spanned over seven decades. Her first meeting with a Pope was in 1961 with Pope John XXIII. This audience was particularly notable as it was the first time a monarch of the Church of England had an audience with a Pope in over 400 years. The meeting was described as warm and friendly, with the Queen presenting the Pope with a gift of linen and a piece of fabric used in the coronation of English monarchs.
In 1980, the Queen met with Pope John Paul II during his visit to the UK. This was the first time a Pope had ever visited Britain, and the Queen welcomed him to England in her role as the head of the Church of England. They met again in 1982 when the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, visited the Vatican. During this visit, the Queen and the Pope had a private conversation, the content of which was not disclosed, but it is believed they discussed their shared interest in promoting world peace.
The Queen and Pope John Paul II had another significant meeting in 2000 when the Pope visited Britain for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. This was the first beatification ceremony to be held in Britain, and the Queen attended as an observer. The Pope and the Queen also had a private meeting, during which they are believed to have discussed religious tolerance and the relationship between the Catholic and Anglican churches.
In 2014, the Queen met with Pope Francis when she and Prince Philip visited the Vatican. This visit was seen as a significant moment of religious diplomacy, with the Queen and the Pope discussing issues such as religious freedom, the protection of Christians in the Middle East, and the role of women and young people in society. The Queen presented Pope Francis with a gift of whiskies and a collection of books by British authors.
These meetings between the Queen and the Popes demonstrate the warm and respectful relationship between the Church of England and the Catholic Church, despite their historical differences. The Queen, as the head of the Anglican Church, has played an important role in fostering interfaith relations and promoting religious harmony.
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Frequently asked questions
The Queen, Elizabeth II, was not Catholic. She was the Supreme Governor and Defender of the Faith of the Church of England, which broke with Roman Catholicism in the 16th century.
The Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church, is the state church of England that was formed when King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.
King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church when the Pope refused to annul his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, who did not produce a male heir to the throne.
Yes, the Queen was a committed Christian. She often referred to her faith in her annual Christmas broadcasts and turned to the teachings of the Bible during difficult times. She also respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good and a way of bringing communities together.
The monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and has a deeply personal role in the church. Every five years, the monarch inaugurates and addresses the General Synod, the legislative body of the Church of England.
