Most of the elder council would be complete strangers to the lower level pastors, yet I don't recall a complaint when other orders were made by the previous elder council. Battlemaster is not a simulator.
The other Elders would likely have a network of hierarchy, each level familiar and comfortable with with those in their immediately close ranks. The sort of movement people are describing happens (never on this scale in history but that isn't entirely relevant), but not from an isolated power figure who can not rely on their own immediate subordinates to pass things down the Hierarchy. I'm not well versed in all the lore written for SA, I would think the break to immersion would occur if these lower tiered High Ranks and middle ranks of the clergy do not answer directly to the regent, but take their orders through say a geo-graphically decided elder. No doubt Jonsu could lay claim to having inherited whatever network Enoch commanded.
That said even the Pope would have (and did have) trouble if he didn't have the support of a goodly amount of Cardinals. If they managed to lose the support that first earned them the position they could easily lose it. This is the rub, Elders are important, perhaps not as important as the Regent, but they should still be able to exert influence over the faithful at all levels and if enough of them work in concert they should be able to undermine a Regent.
