The two kingdoms doctrine is a
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
Christian theological concept that divides
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
's rule into two realms: the spiritual kingdom, where God governs through
the gospel
The gospel or good news is a theological concept in several religions. In the historical Roman imperial cult and today in Christianity, the gospel is a message about salvation by a divine figure, a savior, who has brought peace or other benefi ...
and the Church, and the earthly kingdom, where God governs through law and civil authority. The doctrine is held by
Lutherans
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched the Reformation in 15 ...
and represents the view of some
Reformed Christians.
John Calvin
John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
significantly modified
Martin Luther
Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
's original two kingdoms doctrine, and certain
neo-Calvinists have adopted a different view known as
transformationalism.
The two kingdoms doctrine is held in
Anabaptism
Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. ...
, which teaches that there exist two kingdoms on Earth that do not share communion with one another.
This doctrine states that while people of the kingdom of this world use weapons to fight one another, those of the kingdom of Christ strive to follow Jesus.
Theology
Lutheranism
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...
's model of the ''
City of God'' was the foundation for Martin Luther's doctrine, but Luther goes farther. According to the two kingdom doctrine, the spiritual kingdom, made up of true Christians, does not need the sword. The biblical passages dealing with justice and retribution, therefore, are only in reference to the temporal (natural) kingdom. Luther also uses this idea to describe the relationship of the church to the state. He states that the temporal kingdom has no authority in matters pertaining to the spiritual kingdom. He points to the way in which the Roman
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
had involved itself in secular affairs, and princes' involvement in religious matters, especially the ban on printing the
New Testament
The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...
.
This law-gospel distinction parallels and amplifies Luther's doctrine of Christians being at the same time saint and sinner, a citizen of both kingdoms. Luther describes them as slaves of sin, the law, and death while alive and existing in the natural kingdom, but when dead in Christ, they become instead
lords over sin, the law, and death. The law-gospel distinction can be traced back to
Philip Melancthon's 1521 commentary on Romans, and Melancthon's 1521 ''
Loci Communes''.
[Philip Melancthon, Common Places 1521, Concordia 2014, cf. p. 163 on old/new man]
Reformed
John Calvin
John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
, as well as later
Reformed orthodox figures, clearly distinguish between God's redemptive work of salvation and earthly work of providence. Scottish theologian
Andrew Melville is especially well known for articulating this doctrine, and the Scottish ''
Second Book of Discipline'' clearly defined the spheres of civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Orthodox theologians such as
Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford (also Rutherfurd or Rutherfoord; – 29 March 1661) was a Scottish Presbyterian pastor and theology, theologian and one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.
Life
Samuel Rutherford was born in t ...
also used the Reformed concept and terminology of the two kingdoms.
Francis Turretin further developed the doctrine by linking the temporal kingdom with Christ's status as eternal God and creator of the world, and the spiritual kingdom with his status as
incarnate son of God and
redeemer of humanity.
The Reformed application of the doctrine differed from the Lutheran in the matter of the external government of the church. Lutherans were content to allow the state to control the administration of the church, a view in the Reformed world shared by
Thomas Erastus. In general, however, the Reformed followed Calvin's lead in insisting that the church's external administration, including the right to
excommunicate, not be handed over to the state.
Anabaptism
Anabaptism
Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. ...
adheres to "two kingdoms doctrine", which teaches that:
Response and influence
Luther's articulation of the two kingdoms doctrine had little effect on the practical reality of
church government in Lutheran territories during the Reformation. With the rise of ''
cuius regio, eius religio'', civil authorities had extensive influence on the shape of the church in their realm, and Luther was forced to cede much of the power previously granted to church officers starting in 1525. However, Calvin was able to establish after significant struggle in Geneva under the ''
Ecclesiastical Ordinances
An ordinance or ecclesiastical ordinance is a type of law, legal instrument, or by-law in the canon law of the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and in Calvinism.
Each Christian denomination that has a hierarchy tends to need rules and re ...
,'' a form of church government with much greater power. Most significantly the
Genevan Consistory was given the exclusive authority to excommunicate church members.
See also
*
Christianity and politics
*
Separation of church and state
The separation of church and state is a philosophical and Jurisprudence, jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the State (polity), state. Conceptually, the term refers to ...
*
Cultural mandate
*
Law and Gospel
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
*Opposing perspectives
**
Caesaropapism
**
Christian reconstructionism
**
Dominion theology
**
Kingdom theology
**
Postmillennialism
**
Theonomy
*
Political Catholicism
The Catholic Church and politics concerns the interplay of Catholicism with religious, and later secular, politics.
The Catholic Church's views and teachings have evolved over its history and have at times been significant political influences ...
*
Political theology
Political theology is a term which has been used in discussion of the ways in which Theology, theological concepts or ways of thinking relate to politics. The term is often used to denote religious thought about political principled questions. Scho ...
*"
Render unto Caesar"
*
Sphere sovereignty
*
Symphonia (theology)
Notes
References
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* .
* .
Further reading
*
* .
{{Authority control
Lutheran theology
Christian theology and politics
Christianity and government