Elizabethan England Topic Summaries

The Puritan Challenge

GCSE > History > Eduqas > GCSE History: Elizabethan England (1558-1603) > Religious challenges and plots > The Puritan Challenge
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Key terms
  • Puritans wanted to remove all Catholic practices from the Church.
  • They opposed bishops, vestments, and ceremonies, favouring strict moral discipline and harsh punishments.
  • Puritans used Parliament to push for reforms. In 1576, Elizabeth banned MPs from discussing religion in Parliament without her approval.
  • In 1583 a new Archbishop of Canterbury was appointed to take action against Puritan influence.
  • Some radical Puritans also formed separate congregations where clergy refused to follow the Book of Common Prayer endorsed by Elizabeth.
  • In response, Elizabeth banned Puritan publications, dismissed or imprisoned disobedient Puritan ministers, and insisted on uniformity in worship to try and quell extremism.
  • The Church’s High Commission was given power to fine or imprison those who refused to follow the rules. Around 300 Puritan ministers were removed from their posts; many were jailed.
  • John Field, a key Puritan figure, was banned from preaching due to his extreme views.
  • Puritan printing presses were targeted, and people were punished for producing pamphlets attacking the Church or the Queen.
  • William Stubbs, a Puritan writer, had his hand cut off for publishing criticism of Elizabeth.

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