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Religion In The Elizabethan Era

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The Elizabethan Era took place in England from 1558 to 1603, which was the time period that Queen Elizabeth I reigned. The official state religion was the New Religion, or the Church of England. Practicing the Catholic faith was strictly forbidden. Religion in Elizabethan England was different than religion today in many ways. During the Elizabethan Era, the rulers had a strong impact on the people’s religious beliefs, as opposed to today, we have religious freedom. The most widely practiced religion was the Church of England (also referred to as the New Religion or the Established Church) which was the established state religion decided by the queen. The New Religion was a sort of settlement between the two religions of Catholicism and Protestantism. Queen Elizabeth I was the leader of the Church of England. When Queen Elizabeth was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, she decided that anyone who didn't agree with her beliefs could be considered a traitor and would be executed.
Catholicism could not legally …show more content…

In England during that time period, everyone had to attend church, otherwise they would have to pay a fine, but wealthy people were less likely to be punished. During the Elizabethan Era, there was no separation between the Church and the state, like we have today. The established state religion (at the time, the Church of England) was decided by the king or queen, and was taught in schools. If someone didn’t conform to the official religion, it could be considered treason. If this was the case, that person could be put in prison, tortured, and/or executed. During that time period, only the Church was able to read and interpret the Bible, meaning that the people of the Church didn’t read the Bible on their own. In Elizabethan England, people would use the word “atheist” in regard to anyone who didn’t share the same religious beliefs as they did, including heretics and

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