India that is Bharat: Coloniality, Civilisation, Constitution

by J. Sai Deepak

Therefore, the theory of two kingdoms was formulated, with Biblical support of course, by both Luther and Calvin, who struck a distinction between Christ’s spiritual Kingdom and the temporal Kingdom of Earth where secular authorities held sway. It was postulated that Christians enjoyed freedom in the spiritual sphere while being required to obey the secular laws of temporal rulers to the extent that the latter did not encroach upon their faith. The caveat to this position was that true Christians were free from all human laws, similar to the view held by monks and priests, except that this freedom was previously limited under the Catholic position to those belonging to the spiritual estate, namely the monks and the priests themselves. In contrast, since the Reformers rejected the authority of the Catholic Church, its clergy and the monks, all true Christians were entitled to freedom from human laws if the process of conversion was complete and submission to God was undiluted.