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Luther and Calvin on Secular Authority
Martin Luther & John Calvin were the principal 'Magistral' Reformers of the 16th century [cf. the 'Radical' Reformers]. They sought to enlist the cooperation of rulers in the work of reforming the Church. However, neither regarded the relationship between Church and rulers as a comfortable or unproblematic one.
They were torn between the overriding imperative of uncompromising obedience to the will of God as revealed in Scripture, and their sense of the urgent need to maintain order and authority in Church and polity.
The two texts translated here, Luther's On Secular Authority and Calvin's 'On Civil Government', constitute their most sustained attempts to find the proper balance between these two commitments, demanding a consideration of the nature of justice, the justification and scope of civil authority, the liberty of Christian subjects, and the place of the Church in the world.
Despite their mutual respect, there were wide divergences between them. Luther's On Secular Authority was later cited en bloc in favor of religious toleration, whereas Calvin envisaged secular authority as an agency for the compulsory establishment of the external conditions of Christian (as well as civil) virtue and the suppression of dissent.
The introduction, glossary, chronology, and notes on further reading contained in this volume help located the texts in the broader context of the authors.
They were torn between the overriding imperative of uncompromising obedience to the will of God as revealed in Scripture, and their sense of the urgent need to maintain order and authority in Church and polity.
The two texts translated here, Luther's On Secular Authority and Calvin's 'On Civil Government', constitute their most sustained attempts to find the proper balance between these two commitments, demanding a consideration of the nature of justice, the justification and scope of civil authority, the liberty of Christian subjects, and the place of the Church in the world.
Despite their mutual respect, there were wide divergences between them. Luther's On Secular Authority was later cited en bloc in favor of religious toleration, whereas Calvin envisaged secular authority as an agency for the compulsory establishment of the external conditions of Christian (as well as civil) virtue and the suppression of dissent.
The introduction, glossary, chronology, and notes on further reading contained in this volume help located the texts in the broader context of the authors.
146 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Martin Luther
5,018 books803 followersMartin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.
Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.
Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.
His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.
Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.
Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.
Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.
His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.
Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 31, 2023
Short, easy to read, but essential for understanding Christian thought about government. I found the editor/translator's footnotes and comments rather annoying though: he kept complaining any time he thought a sentence or phrase was unclear, and made weird prejudiced statements, like suggesting Calvin was straining in his Scriptural interpretation at one point because he didn't want to give any authority to a non-biblical source--despite the fact Calvin goes on to quote and use Cicero, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, and Vergil.
October 31, 2025
A wonderfully edited edition that pairs Luther’s “On Secular Authority” with Calvin’s “On Civil Government” in an accessible translation. I especially enjoyed Luther’s “On Secular Authority,” an engaging text of about 40 pages in which he sets out the powers and duties of princes, the rights and responsibilities of the people, the relationship between the two, and the separation of church and state. I would highly recommend this edition to anyone interested in any of the things I previously mentioned I appreciated about Luther’s work or in the Protestant Reformation and its lasting political implications on the Western world.
“For all life that is lived and sought after one’s own benefit is cursed and damned: damned are all the works that do not come from love.”
- Martin Luther
“For all life that is lived and sought after one’s own benefit is cursed and damned: damned are all the works that do not come from love.”
- Martin Luther
October 22, 2013
Got to love Martin Luther! Nothing like telling the University professors they are so possessed by the devil they don't even recognize it. Quite enjoyed his analysis of the state, though.
May 9, 2020
Lutero e Calvino são incontornáveis para a devida compreensão da teoria política moderna. E essa obra, fruto de uma parceria entre a Martins Fontes e a Editora de Cambridge, reúne os dois principais textos dos autores sobre o governo civil. O organizador, Harro Hopfl, faz uma excelente introdução aos textos. E também apresenta dois glossários e listas de leituras complementares sobre cada um dos autores.
No primeiro texto, Lutero apresenta e aplica sua doutrina dos Dois Reinos - governo civil e governo espiritual - em vários assuntos da vida civil. Para o autor, há dois reinos que compõem a vida e organização humana, o reino espiritual, regido pela Lei do Evangelho, e o reino secular, orientado pela lei estatal. Os cristãos estão no reino espiritual, mas se submetem ao reino secular para servir a Deus e ao próximo. O reino secular limita a maldade humana, sendo esse o fundamento de sua legitimidade. Lutero defende que o limite para a autoridade secular é não interferir nos assuntos da alma, permitindo a liberdade religiosa. E termina o texto defendendo que no exercício do poder, o governante deve ser útil, prestimonioso, cauteloso, cuidadoso no trato da justiça, e submisso a Deus.
Já Calvino não divide sua teoria em dois reinos, mas sim em esferas criadas por Deus. A legitimidade do Estado reside na Palavra divina criadora, e não na limitação da maldade humana. Ademais, ele defende a utilidade do governo civil em usar a força na proteção da doutrina cristã (cabe lembrar que Calvino estava no século XVI vendo muitos cristãos sendo perseguidos, de forma que Estado e igreja se relacionavam de maneira aproximada). Calvino faz várias ponderações sobre a forma cristã de lidar com o Estado, inclusive defendendo a forma de governo aristocrática.
Porém, o que é mais importante é sua elaboração doutrinária da resistência civil ao Estado por meio de magistrados inferiores. Sua formulação abriu a possibilidade de diminuir o poder dos governantes e resisti-los em caso de tirania. Não é possível entender os desdobramentos da teoria política moderna se não se compreender que foi Calvino, e, posteriormente, Beza, que abriram a possibilidade de diminuição do poder estatal.
No primeiro texto, Lutero apresenta e aplica sua doutrina dos Dois Reinos - governo civil e governo espiritual - em vários assuntos da vida civil. Para o autor, há dois reinos que compõem a vida e organização humana, o reino espiritual, regido pela Lei do Evangelho, e o reino secular, orientado pela lei estatal. Os cristãos estão no reino espiritual, mas se submetem ao reino secular para servir a Deus e ao próximo. O reino secular limita a maldade humana, sendo esse o fundamento de sua legitimidade. Lutero defende que o limite para a autoridade secular é não interferir nos assuntos da alma, permitindo a liberdade religiosa. E termina o texto defendendo que no exercício do poder, o governante deve ser útil, prestimonioso, cauteloso, cuidadoso no trato da justiça, e submisso a Deus.
Já Calvino não divide sua teoria em dois reinos, mas sim em esferas criadas por Deus. A legitimidade do Estado reside na Palavra divina criadora, e não na limitação da maldade humana. Ademais, ele defende a utilidade do governo civil em usar a força na proteção da doutrina cristã (cabe lembrar que Calvino estava no século XVI vendo muitos cristãos sendo perseguidos, de forma que Estado e igreja se relacionavam de maneira aproximada). Calvino faz várias ponderações sobre a forma cristã de lidar com o Estado, inclusive defendendo a forma de governo aristocrática.
Porém, o que é mais importante é sua elaboração doutrinária da resistência civil ao Estado por meio de magistrados inferiores. Sua formulação abriu a possibilidade de diminuir o poder dos governantes e resisti-los em caso de tirania. Não é possível entender os desdobramentos da teoria política moderna se não se compreender que foi Calvino, e, posteriormente, Beza, que abriram a possibilidade de diminuição do poder estatal.
October 13, 2018
Muito interessante o pensamento de Calvino e Lutero sobre política. Considerei o posicionamento de Lutero mais parecido com o meu, pois ele defende que o Estado não deve interferir no combate a heresia, sendo que essa é tarefa eclesiástica. Livrinho muito bom! Vale a pena ler.
October 10, 2022
Kind of boring, kind of funny, kind of important… haha kidding, very important!
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January 6, 2023no offense Luther but if i had written von weltlicher obrigkeit I think my supervisor would’ve told me it was shit
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February 12, 2025Actually thoroughly enjoyed this
April 4, 2014
The bottom line: A masterpiece of theological reflection on secular authority by two titans of religious thought. Undeniably a must-read.
This text addresses two basic questions: (1) “For Christians, what role should secular government play in our lives? and (2) Should we be obedient to God, the State, or both?”
Answers are provided through select passages from the writings of two well renowned theologians—Martin Luther (a German monk who spearheaded the Protestant Reformation) and John Calvin (a French minister and the father of Calvinism).
In short, both men recognize the authority, necessity, and the explicit distinctions between, divine and secular authority. Both also recognize that the former reigns supreme and that the Christian’s primary allegiance is to God and not the State. That being said ... http://www.chesadaphal.com/on-secular...
This text addresses two basic questions: (1) “For Christians, what role should secular government play in our lives? and (2) Should we be obedient to God, the State, or both?”
Answers are provided through select passages from the writings of two well renowned theologians—Martin Luther (a German monk who spearheaded the Protestant Reformation) and John Calvin (a French minister and the father of Calvinism).
In short, both men recognize the authority, necessity, and the explicit distinctions between, divine and secular authority. Both also recognize that the former reigns supreme and that the Christian’s primary allegiance is to God and not the State. That being said ... http://www.chesadaphal.com/on-secular...
May 30, 2014
Good insights on secular authority and I continue to be amazed at just how relevant Luther and Calvin are for our day. Also, reading Luther is always fun. He must have been one humorous man, for one would think this would be more of a serious treatise, but not with Luther. Humor and wit just pour out of him.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews