Religious issues under James I

Strong believer in Divine Right of Kings, JI held the authority of the Church in high regard. He was loyal to Protestantism and although he has misgivings about the extreme Presbyterian Reformation in Scot, he was suspicious of Catholicism. 

He wanted to achieve stability and unity of religion across all three of his kingdoms, meant attempting to find a middle way between the high-church tradition (emphasised the authority of the clergy and rituals; kinda Catholic) and the low-church tradition (favoured simplicity in worship; like Puritans) 

The MP was produced by a group of Puritans when JI took the throne, contained signatures of 1,000 ministers; based on the state of the church: 

• Respect JI as Supreme Governor of the Church, no interest in disrupting the CoE. 
• CoE had not left behind many Catholic practices. 
• Church services were too extravagant, decorations were a disctraction of the true purpose of religion. 

James arranged the Hampton Court Conference in response to the petition, representatives from both sides of the religious spectrum were invited; this made JI look like an ideological king interested in debate. 

Outcome: 

Anglican bishops relcluctant to give Puritans their demands. Some changes were agreed to inc. weakening of the authority of church courts. Suggestion from Puritans that the chuch should be more in line with Presbyterianism was rejected by JI but he did accept their suggestion that a new translation of the Bible be made (King James Bible, completed 1611) Bishops generally satisfied however more radical Puritans weren't. 

Aftermath:

Dissatisfaction continued from Puritans and in 1610 the Commons presented JI with a Petition of Religion; it critisied JI's attacks on non-conformists and the removal of Puritan ministers. JI did little to reassure Puritans, in 1622 he issued an edict attacking travelling Puritan preachers and urging them to conform.

JI victim of pro-Catholic conspiracies, Gunpowder Plot 1605. Despite the alarm this caused, JI was leniant to Catholics and a moderate Oath of Allegiance was issued in 1606; it required Catholics to deny the Pope's pre-eminence. 

James desired unity in the Church and his Scot policy was no exception. Wanted to unite the churches and in 1618 he issued the Five Articles of Perth; stated the Holy Communion should be taken kneeling, religious hols celebrated and confirmation performed by bishops. The Articles were reluctantly passed by the Scot Parliament and no further reform was tabled.