Political Theology from St. Paul to John Locke
St. Paul epitomized the idea of political theology when he wrote "the powers that be are ordained by God." Those who rule do so by divine ordinance, and obedience to them is a duty owed to God. Centuries later, political philosophers like Milton and Locke argued that power originated with the consent of the governed, but they also subscribed to St. Paul's political theology. This mixture of seemingly incompatible views is part of our political heritage. In this course we will seek to understand political theology in its historical contexts, from the ancient Middle East to the modern United States. This course is equivalent to HIST 0474 and PHIL 0474. (Approval required) 3 hrs. sem.