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‘A Matter of Much Contention in the Realm’: Parish Controversies over Communion Bread in Post‐Reformation England
Author(s) -
Haigh Christopher
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.12
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1468-229X
pISSN - 0018-2648
DOI - 10.1111/1468-229x.00269
Subject(s) - bishops , archbishop , protestantism , realm , prayer , history , english reformation , queen (butterfly) , law , religious studies , classics , political science , philosophy , archaeology , hymenoptera , botany , biology
In 1559 the Book of Common Prayer ordered that bread should be used at communion services in English churches, but the royal Injunctions prescribed wafers. At first, Archbishop Parker and most of his bishops tried to enforce wafers, as Queen Elizabeth commanded, but this led to protests from Protestant clergy and some laypeople, who regarded the wafers as popish. After Parker's death in 1575, however, the bishops were more inclined to enforce the use of bread – which led to widespread objections from parishioners who wanted the customary wafers. ‘Bread or wafers’ became a divisive issue in many parts of England, with Protestants refusing wafers when offered and traditionalists refusing bread. By the mid‐1590s, however, most congregations had got used to bread, and after the Canons of 1604 the last of the wafer‐using parishes came into line. Bread had won the day.