Heresy

What was heresy?

Heresy was the crime of challenging the accepted teachings of the Church.

Why did heresy change?

Heresy changed in 3 ways.

• ❖ Heresy became more important.
• ❖ From the 1500s, heresy was often linked to treason because of changes to the Church in England.
• ❖ As the role of the crown and the Church became more closely linked under Henry VIII, it became more difficult to distinguish treason and heresy from each other.

Why did heresy become a more serious crime?

From 1534, refusing to follow the state religion was an offence against the state as well as a religious offence.