Who led the break with Rome in England?

Henry VIII led it because he was against the pope

Anglican CAtholic Answer!

I should agree that Henry led it, because he was the strongest personality amongst the establishment as far as I can see. But the break with Rome had always been on the sidelines with the British/ English Church!

Henry told the Bishop of Rome that as far as Henry and the Church in England were concerned the pope had no authority in this country! This as far as the old cannons of the Catholic Church were concerned was perfectly true, he was a bishop and no more than any other bishop. His concerns centred on the Holy Roman Church and no more!

When Rome sent S.Augustine in 597, there had been Bishops here for some 500yrs or so. The Church in Britain was founded according to Tradition by S.Simon Zelotes, Brother of Our Lord, the first Bishop was Aristobulos. [Dorotheus , Archbishop of Tyre.]

It took over six hundred years before the Council of Whitby, when the Catholic Church in Britain began to shake off the idea that Britain was an Island and began to accept their were other ways of doing things. They copied Continental ceremonial, but retained a healthy scepticism in regard to the Bishop of Rome. Under the Saxon Kings and the early Norman ones this reserve kept its place and under Henry I there were suggestions from English Bishops to the Norman Kings that a long hard look should be taken at the position of England with regard to Rome. This was carried on under Henry II as well. Later Kings didn't step back either and all through Europe Churchmen were asking just what was the place of the papacy in the Catholic Church?

General Councils were called to debate the questions, popes were sacked and removed, imprisoned and some just cleared off.

Henry believed in the Seven Ecumenical Councils so we are told by one of his bishops! In 1536/7 and 42 the Anglican Convocation affirmed the place of the First Four Councils as the basis of our Catholic Faith and such others as necessary! To me that means Seven Councils! In 1559, the English Parliament accepted that these councils were the standard for judging heresy in the English Church and in 1572 the Convocation reaffirmed its belief in the Councils and fathers.

So then, it seems to me that though Henry opened the door to discussion and action regarding Rome, he was by no means unsupported and this is borne out that their was no real outcry when the pope was finally rejected and no rush to support his return under Mary!