A Christian View of Social Order and the State
Section 1: Absolute Power and Authority
Section 2: The Christian Doctrine of Social Order
Section 3: The Christian Doctrine of the State
Section 4: Reforming the Modern State
Section 5: Conclusion
Excursus
Section 1: Terms Used for Tax in the New Testament
Section 2: The Terminology of the English Education System

A Christian View of Social Order and the State Section 1: Absolute Power and Authority Section 2: The Christian Doctrine of Social Order Section 3: The Christian Doctrine of the State Section 4: Reforming the Modern State Section 5: Conclusion Excursus Section 1: Terms Used for Tax in the New Testament Section 2: The Terminology of the English Education System

Chapter 3

According to Augustine of Hippo, “True justice has no existence save in that republic whose founder and ruler is Christ.” Augustine went on to spell out in no uncertain terms what this means for a proper understanding of the nature and authority of governments: “Justice being taken away, then, what are kingdoms but great robberies? For what are robberies themselves, but little kingdoms? The band itself is made up of men; it is ruled by the authority of a prince, it is knit together by the pact of the confederacy; the booty is divided by the law agreed on. If, by the admittance of abandoned men, this evil increases to such a degree that it holds places, fixes abodes, takes possession of cities, and subdues peoples, it assumes the more plainly the name of a kingdom, because the reality is now manifestly conferred on it, not by the removal of covetousness, but by the addition of impunity. Indeed, that was an apt and true reply which was given to Alexander the Great by a pirate who had been seized. For when that king had asked the man what he meant by keeping hostile possession of the sea, he answered with bold pride, ‘What thou meanest by seizing the whole earth; but because I do it with a petty ship, I am called a robber, whilst thou who dost it with a great fleet art styled emperor’ ” (City of God, Bk. II.21, IV.4).

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Chapter 3

Chapter 3