On this day in history, 11th February 1531, Convocation granted Henry VIII 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”, and 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 cannot have been totally in agreement with Henry as at this point his title is traditional, not with the full powers he wanted. He is limited by cavitates and the law of Christ. Interesting that Henry decides to find a way to bribe the clergy into submission by using their oath to the Pope to later say that they are not his full subjects. He then more or less used the same clauses that he brought against Wolsey to scare them into submission, receiving the submission in Parliament and their oath to him. He very cleverly used the law to gain these supreme powers, one step at a time, so he could say he had their support and it was not merely his own will.
In THE TUDORS why did Thomas Boleyn make the statement to Chapuys that he did not believe “What apostles? I don’t believe Christ had apostles. Not even St. Peter. Those men were all liars and charlatans who pretended to follow Christ and speak in his name. And they built a church upon their lies?” Was this was the followers of Martin Luther believed?
No, they didn’t believe that and the historical Thomas Boleyn wouldn’t have believed that either.