The Eve of the Reformation Studies in the Religious Life and Thought of the English people in the Period Preceding the Rejection of the Roman jurisdiction by Henry VIII

"The Eve of the Reformation" by Francis Aidan Gasquet is a deep look into the religious beliefs and ways of life of the English people right before King Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. The book kicks off by discussing how historians struggle to understand the Reformation as a sudden event when many people at the time seemed very religious. Gasquet points out that many regular folks were unhappy with church leaders and some religious ideas, but he doesn't think this meant they weren't spiritual. Instead, Gasquet tries to show what people really thought and did, highlighting that there was already a push for change happening inside the Church. He paints a picture of a lively religious scene filled with art, education, and people actively participating in their churches. The author is trying to give the reader a more complete understanding of the time by questioning common ideas about what things were like before the Reformation.