Reformations refer to political and religious changes in European countries in the sixteenth century. The Catholic Church played an important role in European affairs. However, the Church received a substantial amount of blame for abusing power, misinterpreting Christian values, and overextending Papal authority.
The major characteristic of the Reformation in Europe was that it was primarily religious. Before the Reformation, the Catholic Church under the Pope was the only authority on how to understand the Bible and preach. Reformation allowed new Christian movements to emerge, the most prominent of which was Protestantism.
This liberalization compromised Papal authority and allowed it to overcome its corruption. The European Reformation had a greater impact because it determined the future of Christianity on the continent, while the English reformation had more significance for the future of the English state.
The difference in English Reformation was that it was primarily political. Royal Family faced a dynastic crisis when it became apparent that King Henry VIII had no male successors. However, under the contemporary Catholic Church, a family could not divorce.
When King Henry had a second marriage, a rift between him and the Pope was formed. The Reformation provided the King an opportunity to limit the Pope’s power in England and strengthen his own. The King was declared as head of the church in England, thus overriding Papal authority.
The Reformation shaped English nationality because the Bible could now be translated into English, whereas before it had been available in Latin exclusively. The Reformation in England had a lesser impact than the Reformation on the continent because the way the church became governed in England did not extend to Europe, while England was definitely affected by overall Protestantism.