Medieval Christian Political Philosophy

Today Professor Kozlowski takes on the political philosophy of the Medieval (and early modern) Christian world, as a cross-section of ideas and interpretations made by Christian political philosophers. Our readings for today hail from:

City of God by Augustine of Hippo

Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas

"Temporal Authority: To What Extent it Should be Obeyed" by Martin Luther (requires a free Internet Archives account to borrow)

Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin (Chapter XIX: par. 15 and Chapter XX: On Civil Government, par. I, II, III, and XXIX)

Along the way we'll encounter a wide variety of different interpretations of Biblical theology, and an even wider variety of applications for Christians trying to figure out how to live their lives in secular society. And we might even find some surprise cameos by ideas thought to originate in later, less Christian times.

Additional readings this week mostly surround historical events, but I recommend Dante's De Monarchia and, for my gamers, Crusader Kings II (I haven't played III yet, but it's probably also good...)

If you're interested in Professor Kozlowski's other online projects, check out his website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠professorkozlowski.wordpress.com