Spheres of Sovereignty: Church Autonomy Doctrine and the Theological Heritage of the Separation of Church and State

Abstract:     
This article begins by examining the theological underpinnings of the concept of separation of church and state. Second, it proceeds to review the church-history context in which this theology was developed. It focuses especially on the Protestant Reformation’s concept of independent jurisdictions of church and state, and how that perspective influenced the American view of church and state. Finally, it suggests that the historic theological position on the jurisdictional separation of church and state is reflected today in the church autonomy cases.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 36

Keywords: Separation of church and state, theology, history, church autonomy, Reformation

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