11 February 1531, Convocation granted King Henry VIII was named Supreme Head of the English Church. He was provided the title of “singular protector, supreme lord, and even, so far as the law of Christ allows, supreme head of the English church and clergy.”
It was George Boleyn, Lord Rochford and brother of Anne Boleyn, who played a prominent role in persuading Convocation of the scriptural case for the King’s supremacy.
Convocation initially retreated from recognizing King Henry as head of the church. A suggestion was made, either by Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Audley, or even George Boleyn himself, to qualify the demand with the words “as far as the law of Christ allows”.
The following day, upon hearing the King’s agreement to the limitation clause, the clergy agreed the amended wording, thereby accepting royal demands to recognise Henry as “Head of the Church of England, as far as the law of Christ allows”.
Although this was a victory for the Boleyn Family, including Anne Boleyn, future queen, verbal acceptance by the clergy and actual compliance were two different matters, and any act of Convocation had to be agreed on by Parliament to be enforced.
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