Theodorus Beza en die Middel-eeuse wortels van die vroeë Reformatoriese denke oor konstitusionele regering en die politieke kontrakteorie

Authors

  • Andries Raath University of the Free State, South Africa

Abstract

Theodor Beza and the Medieval roots of early Reformational thought on constitutional government and social contract theory

The early Reformational political theorist, Theodor Beza, made a significant contribution to the development of the Reformational views on constitutional government and political contractarianism. Beza modelled his views in both respects on Medieval theories on contractarian government and the nature of the political relationship between rulers and their subjects. Beza’s reliance on Medieval political concepts introduced a number of fundamental political principles into Reformational mainstream political thought viz. a sworn contract obliging both rulers and subjects to mutual faitfulness; a diffuse network of agreements based on oaths binding in the sight of God; kingship based on the consent of king’s subjects; the king subject to the authority of law and custom; the dependence of custom on the community that adhered to it and kings acting tyrannically could find their authority questioned. Because rulers have duties as well as rights, resistance to tyrannical acts by rulers breaking their contracts could under certain circumstances be justified.

Published

2020-07-01

How to Cite

Raath, A. . (2020). Theodorus Beza en die Middel-eeuse wortels van die vroeë Reformatoriese denke oor konstitusionele regering en die politieke kontrakteorie. Tydskrif Vir Christelike Wetenskap | Journal for Christian Scholarship, 56(1&2), 159-181. Retrieved from https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/tcw/article/view/521

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