“Christians are called to live for the good of the world. This requires understanding and action. We must think clearly about the world and engage deeply when and where we can.” In his essay “On the Reading of Old Books”, C.S. Lewis once admonished his readers to engage numerous old books for every new bookContinue reading “Book Review: Restoring All Things (Smith and Stonestreet)”
Tag Archives: Church and State
Book Review: Fields of Blood (Armstrong)
For many people living in the West, an assumption exists that religion is inherently violent. After all, they say, just look at the evidence: religion has caused wars, the Crusades, terrorism, religion has made people hate and kill others for nothing more than the ideas that were in their heads. According to this view, religionsContinue reading “Book Review: Fields of Blood (Armstrong)”
Roman Catholicism in the Nineteenth Century
The nineteenth century posed a number of unique challenges to the Roman Catholic Church, among them the continued rise of Protestantism, the increasing influence of modernism, the development of historical and biblical criticisms, and the rise in understanding of numerous world religions. Roman Catholicism developed a number of responses to these challenges, most notably throughContinue reading “Roman Catholicism in the Nineteenth Century”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Links
Over the past two weeks I’ve run a series on Luther’s Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms. While there are unquestionably portions of Luther’s ethic which are possibly problematic and have been interpreted poorly (see Nazi Germany), I do think the Two Kingdom’s can serve as a useful mode of thinking in today’s context, as IContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Links”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Conclusions
This is the final post in our series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. Having examined Luther’s major writings and construction concerning the relationship of the Christian to the world, we must now consider the common critique of Luther’s theology, that it does not provide a solid foundation for the Christian engagement of temporal authority. In hisContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Conclusions”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Critique
This post is part of our ongoing series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. The common critique that Luther separates the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the world in such a manner that does not allow for meaningful Christian interaction within the world often stems from an understanding of Luther’s two kingdoms doctrine as highlyContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Critique”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Christian Passivity?
This post is part of our ongoing series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. To this point it seems that using Bornkamm’s understanding of Luther’s doctrine would allow for little passivity from the Christian when their neighbor was confronted with evil. On the breadth of secular authority, Luther’s concern was that temporal authority must not endeavor toContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Christian Passivity?”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Christ and Authority
This post is part of our ongoing series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. The differentiation between the jurisdictions of Christ and the temporal authority does not limit Christian activity to the spiritual sphere alone, but dictates the manner in which the Christian wields the sword and obeys temporal authority. Turning to the Biblical passages in question,Continue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Christ and Authority”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: On Temporal Authority
This post is part of our ongoing series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. Having considered context and terminology of Luther’s Two Kingdoms, let us now turn to his writing on this subject in On Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed. Luther begins Temporal Authority by outlining the Biblical basis for understanding the civilContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: On Temporal Authority”
Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Applied Ethics?
This post is part of our ongoing series on Luther’s Two Kingdoms. Scholars such as Porter have argued that one of the lasting implications of Luther’s construction involves a radical separation of temporal authority from man’s goals in the kingdom of God.[25] Further, Porter argues that “Luther’s radical separation of the ‘two realms’ or kingdoms—churchContinue reading “Luther’s Two Kingdoms: Applied Ethics?”
Pursuing Veritas 