Initially, Henry was a devout Catholic and even received the title "Defender of the Faith" from Pope Leo X for his writings against the Protestant Reformation. He was a staunch defender of traditional Catholic doctrines and practices and was personally opposed to heretical teachings. However, his desire to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn led to a conflict with the Pope, who refused to grant the annulment.
Unable to obtain the desired annulment from Rome, Henry took matters into his own hands. In 1534, he passed the Act of Supremacy, which declared him to be the supreme head of the Church of England and granted him the authority to reform the English Church. This marked the official break with the Roman Catholic Church, and England became a Protestant nation.
King Henry played an active role in shaping the Church of England's doctrine and liturgy. He approved the publication of the "Ten Articles" in 1536 and later the "Six Articles" in 1539, which defined the theological and liturgical practices of the English Church. While the Church of England still maintained many Catholic traditions and rituals, it embraced certain Protestant principles, such as the reading of the Bible in English and the emphasis on justification by faith.
During Henry's reign, England witnessed significant religious changes. Monasteries and religious houses were dissolved, and their lands and wealth were confiscated by the Crown. Critics and opponents of Henry's religious policies faced persecution, including Thomas More and John Fisher, who were executed for their refusal to acknowledge the King's supremacy over the Church.
Additionally, Henry's religious policies had a profound impact on political, economic, and social structures in England. The dissolution of monasteries, for instance, resulted in the redistribution of land and wealth, altering the power dynamics among different societal groups.
Throughout his life, King Henry VIII experienced several shifts in his religious beliefs and practices. While he never fully adopted the more radical Protestant doctrines, he moved the English Church away from Catholicism and towards a more moderate Protestant position. His actions ultimately laid the foundation for the Anglican Church, which persists as the official church in England today.