"The origen of the Anglican Church is not in any significant theological debate".......The reform was ready. The divorce thing was merely the spark and Henry VIII prevented the Reformers from going even further than they did. Please read "The Theology of the English Reformers" by Philip E. Hughes. The original Anglican Theology was Protestant. The form of worship remained Liturgical and the structure was Episcopal. The State Church was a fixture of that time and has remained far too long IMHO.
“Please read "The Theology of the English Reformers" by Philip E. Hughes”
I’ve read Hughes, the three volume “History of the Church” and his “A Popular History of The Reformation” where much of the theological differences are discussed. I will get the one you recommended.
But here is my main point - Jesus wanted us to be one.
“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” 1 Cor 1:10-13 We cannot be one if everyone brings his own version of the Truth. Substitute Luther for Appollos, or Calvin for Paul, or King Henry for Cephas, and you see that the “new” religions that sprang from the reformation are anti-scriptural.
Christ was not stupid, and He knew He had to establish a visible Church with authority to keep men from twisting His words. He did just that.
The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, for a reason. “Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’” (Matt. 16:17-19)
Here Christ himself:
1. shows the divine origin of his visible Church;
2. promised that Peter’s decisions as leader of the Church would be binding in heaven;
3. tells us that His Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from Him.
No church established in the Reformation can claim to be the Church Jesus established.
This is what Newman discovered – that despite the fallibility and corruption of men, the gates of Hades will not prevail against His Church. This is why Newman came home to the Catholic Church.