The belief in a divine structure with a great chain
of being, beginning with God and working down through the
hierarchy of angels and saints to men, beasts, and vegetables, did
foster order in society. Hooker restated the concept of Aristotle
that the purpose of society is to enable men to live well. He
wrote that although the monarch was head of state and head of
religion, the highest authority in civil affairs was Parliament,
and in religion, the Convocation. The monarch had to maintain
divine law, but could not make it. From this came the idea that
the state derives its authority from the will of the people and
the consent of the governed.
Protestant women had more freedom in marriage and were allowed to
participate in more church activities compared to Catholic women,
but they were not generally allowed to become pastors. Due to
sensitivities on the part of both Catholics and Protestants about
a female being the head of the church, Elizabeth was given the
title of "Supreme Governor" of the church instead of "Supreme
Head". Elizabeth was not doctrinaire in religious matters, but
pragmatic. She always looked for ways to accommodate all views on
what religious aspects to adopt or decline. Images, relics,
pilgrimmages, and rosaries were discouraged. But the Catholic
practice of kneeling at prayer, and bowing and doffing caps at the
name of Jesus were retained. Also retained was the place of the
altar or communion table at the east end of churches, special
communion wafers instead of common bread, and elaborate clergy
vestments.
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