Middle Ages

Federalist 51

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

10 Commandments

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Honor thy father and thy mother: 

Thou shalt not kill (murder).

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet 

Israel’s Democracy

13 Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’ 14 And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

Israel’s Government

Hebrew Law (did not change once given by Moses)

Judges: chosen by People

70 Elders (acted like a senate)

Prophets added teachings and interpretations

About 900BC a King was added to the system at the people’s request.

Non-Israelites excluded and looked down upon.

Christianity

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Christian Government

21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matt 22)

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (Rom 13)

Rome Christianized

Constantine AD 306

Council of Nicaea AD 325 (Unified Church)

Alaric sacks Rome AD 410

Augustine writes City of God AD 426

Augustine

Mother Christian

Pagan

Converted to Christianity

Bishop of Hippo

Persecutes Arians

Dies during Vandal siege on Hippo

City of God

Rome was founded by a fallen Man, Romulus.

The physical city is not Eternal

There is a perfect form of the City in Heaven

It is the city of God, to this each man must strive to reach, ignoring the fallen physical world.

The Church represents the Heavenly City on earth.

Medieval Art

Two Swords Doctrine

There are two powers, august Emperor, by which this world is chiefly ruled, namely, the sacred authority of the priests and the royal power. Of these that of the priests is the more weighty, since they have to render an account for even the kings of men in the divine judgment. You are also aware, dear son, that while you are permitted honorably to rule over human kind, yet in things divine you bow your head humbly before the leaders of the clergy and await from their hands the means of your salvation. In the reception and proper disposition of the heavenly mysteries you recognize that you should be subordinate rather than superior to the religious order, and that in these matters you depend on their judgment rather than wish to force them to follow your will.

Two Swords Doctrine

If the ministers of religion, recognizing the supremacy granted you from heaven in matters affecting the public order, obey your laws, lest otherwise they might obstruct the course of secular affairs by irrelevant considerations, with what readiness should you not yield them obedience to whom is assigned the dispensing of the sacred mysteries of religion.

Thomas Aquinas

1st Crusade AD 1095

Moslem Scholars had preserved Aristotle’s work

The interaction that occurred during the war brought Aristotle to the Church

Aquinas blends the works of Aristotle with Christian Doctrine.

Summa Theologica (REASON RULES)

Church Supreme

Thomas

Thus, in order that spiritual things might be distinguished from earthly thinks, the ministry of this kingdom has been entrusted not to earthy kings but to priests, and most of all to the chief priest, the successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff. To him all the kings of the Christian people are to be subject as to our Lord Jesus Christ.