What was the Anglican Church established by?

The Anglican Church was established by Henry VIII during the 16th century when he sought to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. When the Pope refused to grant the annulment, Henry VIII took significant steps to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. In doing so, he enacted the Act of Supremacy in 1534, which declared that the king was the Supreme Head of the Church of England. This marked the beginning of the Anglican Church, making it distinct from Catholicism and establishing a separate Protestant tradition in England.

The significance of this event is multifaceted, as it not only reflected personal motivations but also broader political and religious shifts occurring in Europe during the Reformation. Henry VIII’s establishment of the Anglican Church set the stage for future theological debates and the development of Protestantism in England.