History
By 1536 Henry VIII had broken with Rome, seized the church's assets in England and declared the Church of England as the established church with himself as its head. The Act of Supremacy 1534 confirmed the King's status as having supremacy over the church and required the nobility to swear an oath recognizing Henry's supremacy. Henry's daughter, Queen Mary I, attempted to restore the English Church's allegiance to the Pope and repealed the Act of Supremacy in 1555. Elizabeth I took the throne in 1558 and the next year Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy 1559 that restored the original act. To placate critics the Oath of Supremacy, which nobles were required to swear, gave the monarch's title as Supreme Governor rather than Supreme Head of the church. This wording avoided the charge that the monarchy was claiming divinity or usurping Jesus Christ, whom the Bible identifies as head of the church.
"Defender of the Faith" (Fidei Defensor) has been part of the British monarch's title since Henry VIII was granted it by Pope Leo X in 1521 in recognition of Henry's role in opposing the Protestant Reformation. The pope withdrew the title, but it was later reconferred by Parliament in the reign of Edward VI.
Read more about this topic: Supreme Governor Of The Church Of England
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