CHC Episode 1
The Tudors & the Beginning
of the Church of England
with host Nick Walters
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Episode 1 of Christian History Chronicles introduces the series with a sweeping exploration of one of the most consequential transformations in Western Christianity: the Tudor-era events that led to the creation of the Church of England. Host Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College, opens the Chronicles by examining how political authority, theological conviction, personal ambition, and national identity converged during the sixteenth century to produce a new ecclesiastical structure whose influence continues to shape global Christianity.
The Tudors occupy a singular place in both political and church history. Beginning with Henry VII’s consolidation of the English throne in 1485, the Tudor dynasty governed a nation undergoing profound economic, intellectual, and spiritual shifts. These broader forces formed the backdrop for the dramatic upheavals introduced by Henry VIII, whose break with Rome reordered not only the religious life of England but also the relationship between church and state throughout the English-speaking world. Episode 1 traces how Henry’s pursuit of an annulment catalyzed a fundamentally new model of ecclesial authority, establishing the monarch as the Supreme Head of the Church of England and beginning a decades-long process of reform, resistance, and theological redefinition.
This episode also explores the continuing impact of later Tudor rulers on the form and doctrine of the Anglican tradition. Under Edward VI, England experienced rapid doctrinal reform influenced by the Continental Reformation. Under Mary I, the state returned to Roman Catholicism with intense consequences for Protestant leaders. Under Elizabeth I, the realm arrived at a more durable settlement—one that blended Protestant theology with a traditional liturgical structure. This Elizabethan Settlement provided the long-term foundation for the Anglican identity that would spread through the British Empire and play a significant role in global Christianity.
Throughout the discussion, listeners are introduced to themes that will recur throughout the Chronicles series: the complex interaction of political power with religious conviction, the challenges of reform movements in real historical contexts, and the enduring significance of Christian institutions shaped by historical struggle. Episode 1 serves as an entry point to understanding how the Tudor transformations generated new patterns of worship, new theological commitments, and new relationships between the church and the governing authorities.
Nick Walters frames the conversation within the broader mission of the Center for Christian History: to promote clear, accessible, and trustworthy explorations of the people, movements, events, and ideas that have shaped Christianity. The Chronicles series invites listeners to engage Christian history not as distant narrative but as the ongoing story of a faith community shaped by real decisions made by flawed but influential leaders. Episode 1 lays the groundwork for that journey by showing how the Tudor monarchs inadvertently inaugurated one of the most lasting Christian institutions in the world.
