I think Anthony’s description of the unified church-state government in V, well describes the absolute church-state government that Guy Fawkes was rebelling against, which was the complete union of the Church of England with the head of state. Prior to Henry XVIII’s rebellion against the Catholic Church, Medieval Europe largely viewed authority to lie with two swords which were inspired by Luke 22:38 (“Then they said, ‘Lord, look, there are two swords here.’ But he replied, ‘It is enough!'”). The lesser sword was temporal power, which kingly or political authority wielded as inspired by Romans 13:1-4 (“But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer.”). The greater sword wielded by the Catholic Church, held spiritual power as inspired by Matthew 16:15-19 (“Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”). Henry XVIII’s rebellion usurped the sword of spiritual power (at least in England) bringing about his absolutist tyrannical rule. Since that time, the Catholic Church particularly the human side (as opposed to the Magisterial side) has seen its coercive power wane for the better. I can’t help but think, after the fall of the American Imperium, the western world is going to see a modified form of John of Salisbury’s Policraticus. In Policraticus, John sees the princely state as inferior to the Church with the coercive power to administer justice. Despite having such power, John also sees that tyrannicide is valid against such a prince when he abuses his power. In the modified view, I see the princes replaced by the entrepreneur. As such the temporal sword will no longer be held through coercion, thus mitigating the need for tyrannicide and optimizing the administration of temporal justice.
With greater understanding of concepts like the nonaggression axiom, the two swords of spiritual and temporal power will govern more justly and effectively, more closely actualizing their proper respective authorities. [Just some thoughts that need more refinement and elaboration.]
For more on the Two Swords concept, check out David Kopel’s “The Catholic Second Amendment.”
4:34 pm on March 21, 2006
