Question

After reading about the Protestant Reformation, Maia concludes that Martin Luther’s protest against the Catholic Church in 1517 inspired England's King Henry VIII to split with the church in 1533. What evidence would support this conclusion?

a. Nobility who supported both Luther and Henry VIII.
b. Documented contact between Luther and Henry VIII.
c. Similarities in the arguments made by Luther and Henry VIII.
d. Similarities in the Catholic Church’s responses to Luther and Henry VIII.

Answer 1

Evidence supporting the conclusion that King Henry VIII was inspired by Martin Luther to split from the Catholic Church would include similarities in their arguments and the Church's responses. However, Henry VIII's motives were personal, unlike Luther's doctrinal concerns, and there is no historical evidence of direct contact between them.

Step-by-step explanation:

In examining the conclusion that King Henry VIII's split with the Catholic Church in 1533 was inspired by Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation initiated in 1517, certain evidences may offer support. One is the similarities in the arguments made by Luther and Henry VIII, both challenging the authority of the Catholic Church albeit for different reasons: Luther primarily for doctrinal reforms and Henry VIII for personal political gains. Another potential piece of evidence could be similarities in the Catholic Church’s responses to both figures, which involved excommunication and condemnation. However, documented interactions, like nobility who supported both or documented contact between Luther and Henry VIII, would likely be the most direct evidence of influence, though historical records do not substantiate direct contact or advice between them. Henry VIII's motivations were largely personal, with his desire for an annulment from Catherine of Aragon as a catalyst, whereas Luther's motivations were doctrinal, seeking to reform the Church's teachings and practices.