Page 265 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1566 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

Religion is regarded by the common people
Selection from John Calvin’s as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers
as useful. • Seneca the Younger
Institutes of the Christian
(4 bce–65 ce)
Religion IV: 20, 11 on War
the power of the church vis-à-vis the state.This contest for
11. On the right of the government to wage war
power, together with Western Christian notions of an
As it is sometimes necessary for kings and states to independent duty to obey one’s conscience and natural
take up arms in order to execute public vengeance, rights, laid the groundwork for modern conceptions of a
the reason assigned furnishes us with the means of limited government and individual rights to religious free-
estimating how far the wars which are thus under- dom. Enlightenment scholars, such as John Locke in his
taken are lawful.For if power has been given them famous Letters on Toleration, also advocated religious
to maintain the tranquillity of their subjects,repress freedom and argued for the limited competence of gov-
the seditious movements of the turbulent, assist ernments in the field of religion, based on both philo-
those who are violently oppressed,and animadvert sophical and pragmatic reasons. The search for religious
on crimes, can they rise it more opportunely than freedom was an important factor in the founding of the
in repressing the fury of him who disturbs both the American colonies and was first embodied in a written
ease of individuals and the common tranquillity of constitution in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitu-
all; who excites seditious tumult, and perpetrates tion.While religious freedom has since been enshrined in
acts of violent oppression and gross wrongs? If it many national and international legal norms, many gov-
becomes them to be the guardians and maintain- ernments still significantly limit religious freedom.
ers of the laws,they must repress the attempts of all Although most modern governments are primarily
alike by whose criminal conduct the discipline of secular in nature, religion still plays an important role in
the laws is impaired.Nay,if they justly punish those government and society. For example, religious traditions
robbers whose injuries have been inflicted only on still often serve as a source of reform and law. Religion
a few, will they allow the whole country to be traditions and emblems still provide important ceremo-
robbed and devastated with impunity? Since it nial and spiritual influences in most countries. Unlike the
makes no difference whether it is by a king or by the United States, most governments still have formal, insti-
lowest of the people that a hostile and devastating tutional ties, often including subsidies and other forms of
inroad is made into a district over which they have state cooperation. Religious buildings, social services, or
no authority, all alike are to be regarded and pun- workers may be supported by the state and may serve as
ished as robbers. Natural equity and duty, there- a resource in times of national crisis or on public holi-
fore, demand that princes be armed not only to days. Even in more separationist governmental systems,
repress private crimes by judicial inflictions,but to such as the United States and France, religious leaders
defend the subjects committed to their guardian- often serve as chaplains in the military, prisons, and hos-
ship whenever they are hostilely assailed. Such pitals.While individual countries may have particular his-
even the Holy Spirit,in many passages of Scripture, torical or cultural ties with a single religious tradition,
declares to be lawful. most governments with cooperationist or accommoda-
Source: Calvin, J. (1599). Institutes of the Christian Religion. H. Beveridge, tionist systems allow multiple religions to obtain gov-
(Trans.). London: Arnold Hatfield.
ernment benefits and cooperate with the state. Despite
the wide variety of current structures of the relationship
between religion and governments and the many remain-
church leaders exerted power over the faithful.The com- ing challenges to religious freedom, a range of accom-
petition for power between the Roman Catholic Church modationist and cooperationist systems throughout the
and the Holy Roman Empire escalated in the middle ages world still preserve religious freedom.
under Pope Gregory VII (c. 1020–1085 CE), who forbade
Elizabeth A. Sewell
the appointment of bishops by kings in 1078 CE.This con-
troversy, referred to as the Investiture Contest, strengthened See also Religion and War; Religious Freedom