My 101 Reasons for Leaving the Catholic Church:
Bloody Mary
What it is:
The persecution of the English martyrs under Mary Tudor from 1554-1558, after she ascended to the throne after the death of Henry VIII and Edward VI. Protestantism was made illegal. Anyone caught preaching the gospel or publishing Protestant teachings was subject to imprisonment, and often death. In particular, anyone who denied TRANSUBSTANTIATION was in danger of being burned at the stake. Protestant bishops, like Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley were executed for their faith. In all, 277 persons were publicly burned to death, most simple Christians who would not recant of their denial of transubstantiation. John Foxe, an eyewitness to the slaughter, wrote the Book of Martyrs which details the heart-rending stories of many of these saints. Catholic historian Durant writes "as the holocaust advanced it became clear that it had been a mistake. Protestantism drew strength from its martyrs as early Christianity had done, and many Catholics were disturbed in their faith, and shamed in their Queen, by the sufferings and fortitude of the victims." Thus, when Mary died and was succeeded by Elizabeth, her half-sister, England once again returned to Protestantism. How it came about:
By the year 1500, the Catholic Church, through its taxation of the populace and sale of spiritual benefits had become owner of about one-fifth of the land of England. This, combined with the immorality of the Roman hierarchy, led to much unrest concerning the Catholic Church in England. But it was not until King Henry VIII was refused an ANNULMENT from Catherine of Aragon that the country pulled away from the Roman Church. Henry became the first leader of the Church of England, but retained the doctrines of his Catholic faith. The blood of both Catholics (Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher, for opposing the King) and Protestants (William Tyndale, burned at the stake in 1536 for translating the NT into English) was shed under the auspices of Henry VIII. Upon his death, the truth of the faith of the Reformers took hold in England. For five years, people were free to worship apart from the persecution of the Roman Church. After the death of Edward VI, the rightful heir to the throne was Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII. In September, 1553, Mary was crowned at Westminster in spite of the excommunication (INTERDICT) that was placed upon the country by the Pope. However Mary, a devout Catholic, had no wish to refuse obedience to papal authority. She formally renounced her title as supreme head of the Church of England, and in December, 1554 the statutes against heresy were re-enacted. Mary by law made Catholicism the official religion. CELIBACY was again mandated, and any married clergy were removed. Lady Jane Grey, unwillingly placed on the throne for five days after the death of Edward VI, was also executed. Before laying her head on the executioner's block, she testified to those watching her execution: I do look to be saved by no other means, but only by the mercy of God in the blood of His only Son Jesus Christ; and I confess that when I did know the Word of God, I neglected the same, loved myself and the world... and yet thank God, that of His goodness He hath given me respite to repent...Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit. Why it is wrong:1) ...because of the hunting down, imprisonment, torture, and execution of godly Christians at the hands of the Catholic bishops; 2) ...because of the audacity of the Pope in placing an interdict on England, excommunicating everyone, as if He had such authority; 3) ...because the Pope encouraged the political foment of the country, improperly interfering with the temporal authority. Warnings from Scripture: "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of live." Rev. 2:10 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive her plagues; for her sins have piled up high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." Rev. 18:4-5 "Every person [including the pope] is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." Rom. 13:1-2 | 
