That was a problem, dying for an opinion over and above a Savior. Neither side of the church should have pressed for this.
I have done 7 years of research on this topic in preparation for a book. Their opinion was that they could not deny Jesus. The absolute worst thing they could do would be to deny Him. It was considered to be tantamount to the three denials of Peter.
Freedom of conscience is what our Founders fought for also. And all of them were cut from the very same cloth.
More stood his ground and would not take the oath because he decided Jesus could not be denied.
There are people right now in the Middle East who are asked to deny Jesus and they are being beheaded because of it.
Do not denigrate the people who lose their lives for Truth, because they will not deny Our Lord.