Henry VIII wanted to end the Pope’s legal authority over anything in England. The Act of Restraint in Appeals ended the Pope’s appellate jurisdiction over all civil matters (including annulments) and the Act of Supremacy ended the Pope’s authority over all ecclesiastical matters (including annulments). For this he was excommunicated, but the Church of England was not.
Other than placing an English language Bible in every parish, Henry VIII opposed reforms. Clergy were celebate (so they claimed) and services were in Latin. The big changes occured during the brief reign of his son, Edward VI. Edward’s Protestant handlers took the Church places Henry would not let it go. In this, a schism arose between the Church of England and Rome.
When Mary Tudor became Queen, she undid her brother’s reforms and only a few of her father’s. The Church of England and Rome were then reconciled (they even had a reconciliation ceremony with the Papal Legate).
On paper, the present schism between England and Rome dates to 1571- well into the reign of Elizabeth I and well after the Elizabethan Settlement. As Ann Boleyn’s daughter, the Catholics would not accept Elizabeth as legitimate.
In reality, the schism dates to the Spanish Armada, which came with all of the Papal blessings as a holy crusade to oust Elizabeth and take over England. To the English people, the defeat of the Armada symbolized England’s freedom from Continental domination, which included union with the Roman Church.
Could it be said the moves against the Church in England were in order to grab it's assets for the Crown with a bit skimmed off for the handlers in a similar fashion to the German princes wealth grab by aligning with Luther? thanks
bttt