Blackwell Reference Online

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[xiii.b] Christianity has had a great variety of relationships with the state. Under the Roman empire from the time of Constantine (d. 337) the church became increasingly privileged and eventually dominant. It then persecuted paganism and Heresy [79]. The ‘Gelasian theory’ (Pope Gelasius, d. 496) expressed the supremacy of the church over the state. Views of this kind during the middle ages inflamed many conflicts between Popes and princes [19: 97–115]. Ideally, Western ‘Christendom’ (the Christian world) was felt to be ruled by God through the Holy Roman Emperor and other princes for secular affairs, and by the Papacy and Church in spiritual matters. Some Popes and emperors, however, aspired to ultimate control of both sides of human existence. ‘Theocracy’ has been used to describe church claims of this kind, and the term ‘Cesaropapism’ to describe the control of the church and theology exercised by Eastern emperors. The Reformation typically initiated ‘established churches’ in Protestantism This meant a single state-supported church for all citizens. ‘Erastianism’ is the term applied to complete state control of church jurisdiction in such churches. In Catholic France (see Roman catholicism), ‘Gallicanism’ largely subjected the church to the monarchy [19: 270; 149; 157: 548]. In Geneva, Calvinism approximated to a theocracy. The claims of Christianity (or of any religion) to exclusive ... log in or subscribe to read full text