Church and State relations: the contribution of John Calvin to the understanding of church-state relationships in 21st century Zimbabwe
Loading...
Authors
Matikiti, Robert
Issue Date
2009
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
Church-state relationships
Alternative Title
Abstract
This article deals with the contribution of John Calvin (1509-1564) to the understanding
of church-state relations in the 21st century in Zimbabwe. One of the key characteristics
of Calvinism and the Reformed tradition is their tendency to produce new confessional
statements of faith when new historical situations demand that the church speak out. The
point here is that God’s Word is continuously new and there is a need to renew the older
confessions in the context of new situations. The influence of Calvin and his brand of
Reformed faith can be seen to this day; most of the arguments used in Zimbabwe owe
more to Calvin than any other theologian. In his Institutes of Christian religion (1536),
Calvin spelled out the sequence of the Christian faith in relation to church-state relations.
He believed that the church should not be subject to the state, or vice versa. While both
church and state are subject to God's law, they both have their own God-ordained spheres
of influence. He espoused that the state should not intrude on the operations of the
church. However, it has a duty to protect the church and its ability to function as the
church. It can be argued that Calvin’s ecclesiology sowed the seeds of the modern
secular democracy. This article will outline the central thoughts of John Calvin on
church-state relations and show that Christians in Zimbabwe find a theological ally in
him. It will argue that Calvin’s unflinching loyalty to the truth as he saw it in the Word of
God for his day provided insights for the faithful in the era of political turmoil for
Christians in Zimbabwe
Description
Peer reviewed
Citation
Matikiti, R. 2009,'Church and State relations: the contribution of John Calvin to the understanding of church-state relationships in 21st century Zimbabwe',
Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae, vol. XXXV, no. 2, pp. 205-218.
Publisher
Church History Society of Southern Africa
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
1017-0499