AHC/WI: Henry VIII converts to Judaism?

I've seen some claims that Henry VIII was looking into Judaism as an alternative religion due to their divorce laws, but the book he needed (Tractate Gittin) took too long to be translated, so he started the Church of England instead. While I kinda doubt the veracity of this story, what if the claims were true, and the books had arrived earlier?

Is Jewish divorce law something Henry VIII would be interested in? Enough so to go against centuries of anti-Semitism? Would England end up converted to Judaism by the same time it took Protestantism to fully convert England? And if they did convert, would the European Jewry flock to England? (And does anyone know if there is any evidence of these claims?)
 
Is Jewish divorce law something Henry VIII would be interested in?[1] Enough so to go against centuries of anti-Semitism?[2] Would England end up converted to Judaism by the same time it took Protestantism to fully convert England?[3]And if they did convert, would the European Jewry flock to England?[4]

1 In Judaism, divorces are way easier than in catholicism, so he could very well be.
2 No
3 No
4 Probably
 
I've seen some claims that Henry VIII was looking into Judaism as an alternative religion due to their divorce laws, but the book he needed (Tractate Gittin) took too long to be translated, so he started the Church of England instead. While I kinda doubt the veracity of this story, what if the claims were true, and the books had arrived earlier?

Is Jewish divorce law something Henry VIII would be interested in? Enough so to go against centuries of anti-Semitism? Would England end up converted to Judaism by the same time it took Protestantism to fully convert England? And if they did convert, would the European Jewry flock to England? (And does anyone know if there is any evidence of these claims?)

The Protestant-ization of England was a long, slow process that benefited hugely from the details of the faith being developed by compromise/conflict gradually over time to "fit" with what the people of his nation could accept (in terms of weight and doctrine), being allowed to develop legitimacy without creating too much of a cultural shock at any one time to create a sufficently strong Catholic backlash. Even then, it was often a shakey thing. Taking Judaism and all its historical baggage on whole cloth, rather than starting with High Church (I.E Basically just keep doing everything you were doing before, replacing that guy in Italy's name with mine) Anglicanism, Henry likely ends up disposed and replaced with a suitable Catholic relative (Of course, given the weak grasp his dynasty still has on the throne this early on, this might be a sucession crisis...)
 
We may want to note that Henry was not actually trying to divorce, but annul his marriage (have it declared never valid). The Catholic church had done this before and might have done so for Henry if not for the particular political circumstances of that time (Charles V was Catherine of Aragon's nephew and pressured the Pope not to allow the annulment).

Also, he seems to have been a pretty religious person overall - he received the title of "Defender of the Faith" from the Pope - so I would doubt his desire to drop Christianity altogether.
 
He was religious when it suited him and an adulterer (Bessie Blount, Mary Carey) and passive-aggressive murderer (Anne Boleyn) when it suited him.

He should have asked for the annulment on the grounds he needed a son and Katherine could no longer do that and not insisting on the Arthur's wife bullshit.

I don't think Henry would like being Jewish. Too many dietary restrictions.
 
He was religious when it suited him and an adulterer (Bessie Blount, Mary Carey) and passive-aggressive murderer (Anne Boleyn) when it suited him.

He should have asked for the annulment on the grounds he needed a son and Katherine could no longer do that and not insisting on the Arthur's wife bullshit.

I don't think Henry would like being Jewish. Too many dietary restrictions.

Um... I don't believe that's sufficent grounds for annulment in Catholic doctrine. Strictly speaking he dosen't NEED a son either, since England diden't operate on Saleic Law
 
Um... I don't believe that's sufficent grounds for annulment in Catholic doctrine. Strictly speaking he dosen't NEED a son either, since England diden't operate on Saleic Law

I think what @desmirelle is saying is that Henry should've just used Kate's age against her rather than dredging up the past. He wouldn't be the first man going through a midlife crisis to divorce his wife on the grounds that she's no longer young and pretty. And as to England not operating under Salic Law its iffy. If Matilda had made a successful go of her reign then the pope could say "no chance this side of Hell". Unfortunately, Henry COULD argue that he NEEDED a son because look what happened in the Wars of the Roses.

So, while a son doesn't necessarily mean stability (Henry got one and the dynasty still ended, Edward IV had two, etc), it IS/can be a deterrent to anyone wanting to cause trouble
 
Thanks, Jonas, that's exactly what I meant. No woman had held an English throne alone successfully. The Pope could honorably and with inserting a clause that Mary was legitimate since she was born in a marriage made in good faith, avoid the wrath of the HRE Charles V. After all, Katherine wasn't ruling, but if Anne didn't give Henry a son (who would think he'd have Anne executed), Mary would still come to the throne.
 
If he was interested in some Judaic (not sure if that is the right term) book involving divorce that doesn't mean he would convert to Judaism. It would be extremely odd if he did, considering how European Christendom saw themselves as the hero's of Judaism, sometimes even in ethnic lines. Anyways, he would simply take the book and use it in arguments for church canon or whatever. Thought he moment things get too 'Jewish' people are going to start whispering about Herod Antipas, divorce, and the marrying of a brother's sister.
 
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