Sunday, January 24, 2016

Question from KG - Burning for heresy in Henry VIII's reign

Were people being burned for heresy in the first half of Henry VIII's reign (until 1527/8)? If so, what heresies were they being executed for?

1 comment:

PhD Historian said...

Yes, burnings for heresy did take place in England in the first half of the reign of Henry VIII. The names of a few can be found on Wikipedia (of all places!), and a handful in John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. For the names of others, you would need to consult books on the history of the Reformation in England.

Being suspected of Lollard beliefs sometimes resulted in a heresy charge. Denial of the doctrines of transubstantiation and of purgatory were not uncommon and was considered heretical. Even possessing or supplying English translations of the New Testament could cause an individual to be charged with heresy.