3 th ▁centuries , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁English ▁Re formation ▁ ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁was ▁named ▁Def ender ▁of ▁the ▁Fa ith ▁( F ide i ▁Def ensor ) ▁for ▁his ▁opposition ▁to ▁Luther ' s ▁Re formation . ▁His ▁wife ' s ▁in ability ▁to ▁bear ▁a ▁living ▁son ▁and ▁the ▁po pe ' s ▁in ability ▁to ▁permit ▁him ▁a ▁divor ce ▁while ▁her ▁nep hew ' s ▁arm ies ▁held ▁Rome , ▁however , ▁prompt ed ▁Henry ▁to ▁sum mon ▁the ▁Re formation ▁Parliament ▁and ▁to ▁invoke ▁the ▁stat ute ▁of ▁pra em un ire ▁against ▁the ▁English ▁church , ▁ultimately ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 5 3 2 ▁Sub mission ▁of ▁the ▁C ler gy ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 5 3 4 ▁Act s ▁of ▁Sup rem acy ▁that ▁made ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁an ▁independent ▁national ▁church , ▁no ▁longer ▁under ▁the ▁govern ance ▁of ▁the ▁Pope , ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁King ▁as ▁Supreme ▁Governor . ▁ ▁( It ▁is ▁sometimes ▁incorrectly ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁was ▁established ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁was ▁a ▁province ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁at ▁least ▁since ▁c . ▁ 6 0 0 ▁AD . ▁when ▁August ine ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Can ter bury . ▁ ▁Therefore ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁could ▁not ▁have ▁been ▁established ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁it ▁had ▁existed ▁for ▁over ▁ 9 0 0 ▁years .) ▁A ▁law ▁passed ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁made ▁it ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁tre