Kingdom of the Left
Since the twentieth century, Lutherans have spoken about a “two-kingdoms” doctrine to work out the relationship between church and state.[1] Martin Luther, living before this vocabulary developed, worked with concepts of “two governments” or “two authorities.” When he wrote about church and state, he categorized them as “estates” rather than “kingdoms.” Luther’s writings on temporal authority remind us that temporal authorities in the state are appointed to maintain peace.
When Luther writes about two kingdoms in On Temporal Authority, he writes of a kingdom of God and a kingdom of the world. In this text Luther writes that believers, living under Christ, belong to the kingdom of God. Those who are not Christians belong to the kingdom of the world.[2] Luther would have Christians live in such a way that satisfies both of these kingdoms, serving God inwardly and the neighbor outwardly.[3] For Luther a Christian lives in God’s kingdom and under temporal authority.
In On Temporal Authority Luther locates temporal government within the kingdom of the world. The kingdom of the world needs laws to uphold peace, so God establishes a government within that kingdom. Luther speaks of this government in terms of “temporal authority,” “temporal government,” “civil law,” or “the sword.”[4] The temporal government is to preserve external peace and to prevent evil deeds. It does not make anyone righteous in God’s eyes.[5] Luther bids Christians to live under temporal government for the good of the neighbor. This means that the Christian pays taxes, honors those in authority, and serves and helps the governing authority.[6]
For Luther, “governing authority” was a concrete term, meaning particular individuals holding offices. Luther’s focus on concrete individual authorities is evident in his explanation of the fourth commandment in the Large Catechism. Luther’s discussion here is about the people God has placed in authority and so given responsibility to care for and serve those subject to their authority.[7] Luther thinks of governing authorities as concrete individuals because he lived before the development of modern nation-states with institutionalized bureaucracies. Temporal authorities for Luther were primarily nobles who inherited and wielded the civil sword.[8] This means that Luther’s specific counsels to individuals in and under temporal government is written to advise Christians on how they relate to magistrates, and to advise princes and nobility in carrying out their vocations.[9]
The concrete nature of Luther’s view of authority is also evident when Luther describes the temporal government as an estate. Luther lists three orders or estates that God has instituted in this world: church, home, and state. Church and home are instituted in the Garden of Eden, but the state arises only later in order to keep sin in check.[10] When Luther speaks of “estates,” he means offices in which people serve and the people holding those offices. His conversation on three estates focuses on the concrete office-holders: pastors, parents, princes, etc.[11] Luther’s view of the state consists of God’s authority given to individual rulers to preserve peace and prevent wickedness.
What would Luther say about temporal authorities and elections in the United States? Since many of Luther’s specific counsels (beyond general principles of living under temporal government) address situations dealing with particular authorities he knew from the Holy Roman Empire (princes, dukes, emperor, city councils, etc.), one needs to be careful in applying those counsels directly to the different authorities that make up the government of the United States. Perhaps a better approach is to identify what scriptural passages and doctrines Luther used in his works dealing with political matters in the sixteenth century and ask what those passages say about temporal authority in the United States, since these passages apply to Christians of all time. Working from passages like Romans 13, Luther saw civil government as God’s instrument to maintain peace. This passage is a call to government to maintain peace and not to abuse its power. It is a call for citizens to honor and support the authorities God has placed over us.
The Rev. Aaron Moldenhauer is associate pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Beecher, Ill. The article was first published here.
Be Informed
Want to know how to help children resist progressive indoctrination? Katy Faust of Them Before Us can help.
Be Equipped
“The world places an inordinate value in authority, whereas in God’s eyes, the subordinate person is more valuable than the one in authority.” Turns out there can be joy in subordination in Christ! Learn more by clicking here.
Be Encouraged
“The question is, to what extent is the authority over us really unfair? According to the Scriptures all authority in heaven and on earth has been established by God. This teaching invariably leads to the objection: What about bad government? Luther famously answered that there is enough fire, stone and poison to depose a bad leader, but our sins will not allow it. Which is to say that bad government is given to us by God as a gift, designed by God not to harm us, but to bring us to repentance. Do you believe this? Do you believe that all authority is from God? Do you believe that we ought to pray for our leaders, even if they are bad leaders? Do you think it is our leaders who must repent, and turn back to the Lord, or is it more the thing that we ought to repent, and return to the Lord? It’s a fair question.” –Rev. Perry Copus, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Ernestville, Mo. ”
