How did the Forty-two Articles become the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England?

The Forty-two Articles were written by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1553 to define the Church of England's doctrinal position. Following the accession of Mary I later that year, these articles were eliminated as the church returned to Roman Catholicism.12

After Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, a new doctrinal statement was required. In 1563, the Canterbury Convocation drastically revised Cranmer’s original work, incorporating further changes at the queen's request. A final revision by the convocation in 1571 resulted in the Thirty-nine Articles, which were subsequently approved by both the convocation and Parliament. These articles were designed to be studiously ambiguous, aiming to make the national church as inclusive as possible regarding differing religious viewpoints.12