Elizabethan England

Elizabethan England

Elizabethan Era is considered one of the most important historical periods marked by religious peace , geographical discoveries and the height of the Renaissance . Historians state that Elizabethan England can be characterized as an era of conservative achievement . To some extent , this statement is true because Elizabeth I maintained peace which allowed art and economy to flourish on the other hand she supported slave trade and repressed Catholics in Ireland and Spain which increased religious tension between different confessions

In religious sphere , Elizabeth I maintained peace between the Protestants

and Catholics . It was a conservative achievement because the English church had moved only very slightly toward Protestantism in Henry 's lifetime . The government came to be dominated by more reformers and became a fully Protestant church . Elizabeth I formed a church Protestant in its nature but still retained conservative features typical for Catholicism . For instance , the number of saints ' days was severely reduced , but they were not entirely eliminated the cloths of ministers were simpler than those of Catholic priests , but still more elaborate than the severe gowns of the Protestants . The decoration of the church was more austere than in Catholic churches . However , an important feature that the church borrowed from Catholicism was its administration of clergy who were ultimately subject to Elizabeth I . In general , Elizabeth was primarily concerned with her role as a queen religion was important to her , as it concerned the social well-being of the nation , but she took a much more pragmatic and tolerant approach to religious matters than was common in Europe at the time (Pritchard 1979

The laws introduced by Elizabeth were based on conformity and obedience but did not meddle too deeply in people 's actual beliefs . Citizens were required , under pain of a fine , to attend church each Sunday . Public officials , teachers , and other persons of authority were required to take the Oath of Supremacy , which stated that the believers upheld the official religion of England and the Queen as the supreme governor of the Church . Beyond this , there was comparatively little persecution of people for their religious beliefs , especially in comparison to the religious wars that were rocking the Continent at this time . Catholicism was not the only sort of church separatism . The continuing existence of bishops was a matter of especially heated controversy : many people wanted a "presbyterian " church government , run by assemblies of clergy and godly laymen , an idea that Elizabeth considered a threat to her royal authority . In contrast to these loyal reforms , Elizabeth I oppressed and repressed Catholics in Ireland which led to armored conflicts (the Second Desmond Rebellion , in 1579 , hundreds of death and feminine . Following Pritchard (1979 ) In a war when religion is at stake it is entirely up to the pope , whose authority and wisdom are derived from Christ , to command Catholics to what extent to obey their temporal rulers (16 . These facts show that Elizabeth I followed conservative religious policy trying to level religious differences and avoid possible protests , but...