Why did Henry VIII break away from the Catholic church in Rome?
The simple answer is because he wanted a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn. Anne convinced him to finally break way from the church and take the pope’s power for his own. The pope was seen as God’s word on earth, and his “power” was greater than a King. When Henry formed the Church of England, he was able to grant himself the divorce because he became the head of that church. Henry believed that Kings were God’s anointed rulers, that God chose him to rule, whereas man elects the next pope…therefore the King is closer to God’s law than the pope.
