Elizabeth I and Religion 1558-1603

by Susan Doran

Susan Doran describes and analyses the process of the Elizabethan Reformation, placing it in an English and a European context. She examines the religious views and policies of the Queen, the making of the 1559 settlement and the resulting reforms. The changing beliefs of the English people are discussed, and the author charts the fortunes of both Puritanism and Catholicism. Finally she looks at the strengths and weaknesses of Elizabeth I as royal governor, and of the Church of England as a whole.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

73 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 1993

About the author

Dr Susan Doran is a British historian whose primary studies surround the reign of Elizabeth I, in particular the theme of marriage and succession. She has published and edited sixteen books, most notably Elizabeth I and Religion, 1558-1603, Monarchy and Matrimony and Queen Elizabeth I, part of the British Library's Historic Lives series.

She is currently a tutor and member of the history faculty at Christ Church, Oxford University where her specific area of interest is stated as being Early Modern British and European history. Previously, Doran was a reader in history, Senior Lecturer in History and Teaching Studies and Director of the History Programme at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, part of the University of Surrey.

She is also a Director of Studies for history at Regent's Park College and Senior Research Fellow for History at Jesus College

Reviews

[Vatikanska Milosnica · Rating 4 out of 5]

no serious flaws and rather solid for its length, despite some naturally disappointing lacunas

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

For people who thought that Elizabeth’s reign consisted of a simple if protracted tug of war between Protestantism and Catholicism, this book will be a bit of a shock.

This is a book for hardcore Elizabethan scholars who happen to specialize in religion. The path to reclaiming England from its hardcore Catholic worshippers was long and arduous. Elizabeth I had certain views of religion—one was that she hated marriage among the clergy—but she mainly hoped to ease people out of the religious views that seemed to verge on superstition. She didn’t want to burn heretics as her predecessor Queen Mary had but neither did she want a religion that included idol worship to cloud her people’s minds.

This book puts paid to the notion that Elizabeth I didn’t really care about the religious views of her people. But her religious views could be hard to pin down, mainly because she was treading a cautious line between urging people to Protestantism while trying not to antagonize Catholic rulers who wished to put Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, on the throne.

But there were other religions ready to take the floor. Nature abhors a vacuum and apparently divine piety does as well. The tussle for supremacy among these various branches of devout thought reminds you why it’s never a good idea to give religion too great a power among a country’s rulers. Still, Elizabeth did what she set out to do and did so while avoiding a nasty holy war, civil unrest or outright rebellion. She made certain England was a major power in the world. Not bad for someone inheriting a throne from a rabid Catholic who sent no less than 300 Protestants to the stake.

While this is a slim book (I got through it in one day), it’s reading for hardcore scholars who specialize in religion. For others who might not care as much, they should stick to lighter fare or one that doesn’t dwell so much on the sacred nature of Elizabethan England.

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, if incredibly short, look at religion in the reign of Elizabeth I. My only criticism is that it needs to be longer.

[Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

During Elizabeth's maturing years, this young princess honed her personal skills as she carefully kept her own counsel and bided her time until the Crown came to her when her half-sister, Mary, died in 1558.

Coming to the throne at age 25, Elizabeth must have learned that even in her own household, spies regularly had informed Queen Mary about every significant event occurring in Elizabeth's private world. (Queen Elizabeth ruled until her own death in 1603.)

Once Queen, Elizabeth needed all her acquired acumen and cunning to keep her crown secure from both from internal strife, primarily religious in nature, and external menaces from both Scotland and Spain.

This short historical study will give any serious reader a good snapshot of the religious controversies that constantly threatened the first English queen to rule in her own right. An interesting read throughout.