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The Biblical believer and civil authority

Marijan Vugdelija ; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet, Sveučilište u Splitu

Sažetak

In this article the author shows that if a human being is by its nature a social being, then its relationship toward a social community and civil authority cannot be separated from religious teaching. To develop a systematic biblical view of the relationship of the believers toward civil authority is difficult since the Bible does not provide an exhaustive treatment of this issue. The believer can find in the Bible warnings regarding the concrete demands of civil government as well as what kind of attitude one should take toward the state authority.
According to the author the Bible provides two basic viewpoints on civil authority; first, the attitude of recognition and of submission, and second, the attitude of independence and of criticism. On the one hand, the Bible recognizes the right to the state to execute for example: the maintain public order, to collect taxes, to punish evildoers; moreover, the Bible exhorts believers to completely submit to civil government, even „for conscience’s sake“ (Rom 13,5). As a consequence, to some extent civil government enjoys its independency. On the other hand, the Bible points out that the politics should be inspired and guided by the biblical spirit and values in order to serve the common good of all members of the social community. Therefore, the biblical believers should have to some extent independence toward the state and the critical attitude toward civil government.

Ključne riječi

Bible; civil government; believer

Hrčak ID:

168455

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/168455

Datum izdavanja:

1.3.2003.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 1.388 *