The Sixth Wife of Henry VIII: The Evangelist

Catherine Paar (Portrait)

Henry VIII of England has a reputation for separating from the Roman Catholic Church and creating the Church of England, but perhaps he more famous for his six wives. Most people are familiar with Catherine of Aragon (a Spanish leftover from Henry's brother), Ann Boleyn (mother of Queen Elizabeth I), and Jane Seymour (who gave Henry his son, Edward VI). After those first three, most people loss track, they don't recall Anne of Clives (Henry's German wife who escaped the fate of most wives), Catharine of Tours (who cheated on Henry). Finally, there was Catherine Paar, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII. Catherine Paar was unlike Henry's former wives, she was devout Christian, a Protestant, and a evangelist! Catherine Paar even wrote books and published them for devotional purposes, something unheard of in that period! Catherine additionally sought with great fervor to have translation of the Holy Bible in English, something Henry was not zealous for.

Catherine had major influence on Henry's daughter,Elizabeth who would become the greatest queen of England. Catherine Paar however, was not without scrutiny, bishops of Rome became jealousy of her popularity and sought to turn Henry VIII against her. Shrewdly, and embodying "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves," (Matthew 10:16), Catherine appealed to Henry, who was despite being Head of Church of England, still very Catholic and against the Bible being translated in English. Catherine Paar told Henry she sought instruction from her husband and looked to Him for correction, this shrewd move and burning all her copies of her books made Henry show clemency, that and Henry was so old now and not in a place to remarry. Catherine Paar had to hide her Protestantism publicly, but she shared it with Elizabeth who became very influenced by Paar, her real mother in many ways, especially since her birth mother Anny Boleyn was beheaded and all her other step mothers suffered similar fates.

Paar views, and evangelistic nature, seeking to spread the faith influenced Elizabeth I. When the threat came known as Spanish Inquisition and Phillip II of Spain's Armada, we see then Queen Elizabeth I take a stance of moderateism, she was devout Protestant, even refusing to witness Transubstantiation at her coronation, she left the abbey until it finished, but she never sought to round up the Catholics in the manner Mary I of England known as "Bloody Mary" to Protestants did. Elizabeth perhaps adopted her step mother Catherine Paar's evangelist attitude, realizing that violence and murder are not the gates of heaven, but rather grace through faith! (Ephesians 2:4). The combination of Catherine Paar's instruction and witnessing the reign of Mary I of England "Bloody Mary" was an education to show Elizabeth the way: tolerance and truth. Elizabeth embraced the true religion of Protestantism, she even read in her youth the New Testament in the original Greek over and over! No doubt this was by influence of Catherine Paar, who as we have seen was diplomatic, able to manage Henry VIII, something Elizabeth no doubt probably learned from to manage her courtiers, councilors, and enemies during her reign.

Elizabeth I of England

The Influence of Catherine Paar on England is shown in Elizabeth I's reign, called "The Golden Age." She is the hidden figure, the person who showed Elizabeth, "submit to God, resist the devil and he shall flee," (James 4:7), "be shrewd as serpents (seraphim, angels) and gentle as doves," (Matthew 10:16), "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ," (Ephesians 4:15), "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation," (Mark 16:15), and "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44). Certainly Elizabeth I of England gets credit for her ventures, decisions, and more; but we never should ignore who influenced great figures in history. We believe it is relevant who influences our leaders today, so why not back then? Little did Catherine Paar probably know the effect she had on Elizabeth, who would create an open nation that allowed Protestants, Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, and more live in harmony. Perhaps it was during a lesson or learning from Catherine Paar or during the encouragement of her step mother to read the Bible, that Elizabeth realized "do unto others as you would have done to you," () and this despite being a person of privilege, made her decide not to persecute Roman Catholics in her domains.

Sources

Secrets of the Six Wives or Six Wives with Lucy Worsley, Episode 3, BBC One, TV Series [Main Source]
The Life of Elizabeth I,  Allison Weir, Paperback
The Reformation, Chapter Six, Diamond McCulloch, Paperback
Elizabeth (1988), Film
Elizabeth The Golden Age (2007), Film