How revolutionary were Lutheran and Calvinist theories of authority?

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Melody Richards

How revolutionary were Lutheran and Calvinist theories of authority?

Lutheran and Calvinist theories of authority were revolutionary as they laid the foundations of a radical shift in attitudes towards obeying authority.  Political thought changed from a view that it was never legitimate to resist authority to the notion that ‘like any other wild animal, a tyrant can be killed.’  However it was later Calvinist theories that were more revolutionary than Calvin’s own work On Civil government and Luther’s On Secular authority. Moreover rather than promoting revolutionary theories of authority, Luther and Calvin were concerned to preserve order.  Revolutions occurring throughout Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth century were to an extent legitimised by Lutheran and Calvinist theories of authority but this was certainly not the original intent of the writings.  Luther and Calvin were after all theologians, not political philosophers.

The Lutheran and Calvinist theories of authority were a radical departure in political thinking in the sixteenth century in terms of an obligation to submit to authority. The tradition of biblical thought suggested that obligation was fundamental and thus, it was not considered legitimate to resist authority. Christian political theory was underpinned by the divine word of God, which stated ‘obey the powers that be.’ (Romans 13)

The early modern period was based on a theory of order where political authority was very hierarchical. Based on the revealed word, authority descends from God through the monarchy to the lower magistrates, who govern the common people.  However, reformation political thought led to a shift in people’s perceptions that it was not legitimate to challenge authority.

The duties of religious conviction implied that it was unacceptable to pledge allegiance to a heretical ruler.  There existed a conflict between the duties to the civil ruler as opposed to a duty to the demands of conscience. However the consequence of resistance was disorder and chaos, which was for Luther a strong disincentive to morally legitimating a challenge to the civil power. Nonetheless, Lutheran arguments emphasised the duty of not obeying ungodly political authority.

Resistance theories spread in different forms around Europe. They originated in Germany due to Martin Luther’s protest against Papal corruption. Martin Bucer and Philipp Melancthon, both prominent German reformers were also influential in supporting Luther’s ideas. English, Scottish, French and Dutch writers developed Luther’s resistance to authority; they aimed to defend the Protestant reformation against persecution.   However, ‘Martin Luther is best known as the most influential figure in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century.’

Luther is famous for nailing his Ninety-five Thesis on Indulgences to the door of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenburg and is credited with launching the Protestant Reformation. This was a major movement of Christians in "Protest" of Church abuses (thus they were called Protestants). Luther’s fundamental argument was that salvation was based on grace alone, not from the selling of indulgences. However the 95 Thesis were not written with the intent of starting a revolution of reaction against authority but for discussion amongst academics.  Although a religious movement against the corruption of the Catholic Church, the subsequent change in attitudes towards obeying authority undermined the idea of unquestioned obedience of individuals to their rulers.  

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Lutheranism was revolutionary because the established order, the Catholic Church, was removed in England, Scotland, Sweden and Northern Germany as a result of Protestantism. ‘In terms of late medieval political theory his ideas were revolutionary, for they challenged the theological assumptions which underlay the traditional medieval doctrine of the supremacy of the Church over the State.’

‘The cultural consensus of Europe based on universal participation in the Body of Christ was broken, never to be restored. Along with the Reformation came challenges to secular society. The nature and organization of power and government came under re-evaluation as well. ...

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