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Koncepcje Jana Kalwina dotyczące relacji pomiędzy Kościołem a państwem są ściśle powiązane z jego eklezjologią. Przed swoim przyjazdem do Genewy w 1536 r. i rozpoczęciem w tym mieście działalności reformatorskiej Kalwin uważał Kościół przede wszystkim za wspólnotę ludzi wybranych do zbawienia, luźno powiązaną z Kościołem widzialnym, instytucjonalnym. Reformator stopniowo dowartościowywał jednak Kościół instytucjonalny, zauważając, że to właśnie w nimi istnieje niewidzialny Kościół wybranych. Wraz z dowartościowaniem Kościoła instytucjonalnego pojawiła się kwestia ustalenia relacji pomiędzy nim a państwem (władzą cywilną). Do podjęcia tej problematyki skłoniła Kalwina również sytuacja w Genewie, w której Kościół ewangelicki stał się oficjalnym wyznaniem państwowym. Należało zatem stworzyć eklezjologię, która odpowiadałaby zaistniałym warunkom. Kalwin zaczął więc nauczać, że władza kluczy i władza miecza różnią się pod względem pełnionych przez siebie funkcji, dlatego nie można mieszać ich ze sobą. Kościół zwiastuje ludziom Ewangelię, natomiast władza państwowa stoi na straży przykazań Dekalogu, sprawiedliwości i pokoju, używając miecza przeciwko złoczyńcom. Kościół i państwo trzeba więc rozdzielić. Koncepcja ta zapowiada późniejszy rozdział państwa od Kościoła w nowoczesnych państwach zachodnich. Z drugiej strony obydwie władze powołane zostały do istnienia przez Boga, dlatego powinny realizować wolę Bożą, pomagając ludziom w przestrzeganiu prawa Bożego. Władza cywilna nie jest więc władzą świecką.

Copyright of Śląskie Studia Historyczno-Teologiczne is the property of Ksiegarnia Swietego Jacka and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the paper it is argued that the author of Description of Customs..., who was a Catholic priest, showed greater tolerance for non-Christian religions than for Lutheran and Calvinist denominations. This was linked with the fact that Protestants effectively competed with Catholic nobility in the same spheres of public life to gain social and material goods in Poland in the times of the Saxon Dynasty. Kitowicz exhibited an intense dislike for deists as he accused them of a lack of religiousness in its essential aspects involving the cultivation of sacred rituals and ceremonies, and he claimed they were sufficiently satisfied with pure ideology. Generally speaking, the author of Description of Customs... did not attack other religions for reasons related to faith; he did it for pragmatic reasons, paying attention to social interests of Catholic nobility, or in connection with morality, in the case of atheists and nonbelievers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the Polish translation of John Foxe's famous Rerum in Ecclesia gestarum on Christian martyrs, authored by a Calvinist writer, printer and composer Cyprian Bazylik. His monumental Historyja o srogim prześladowaniu Kościoła Bożego (1567) was compiled from the works of John Foxe, Jean Crespin and Heinrich Pantaleon, supplemented with Jan van Utenhove's account of the thrilling odyssey of the members of the London's Foreign Church led by Jan Łaski. The author aimed at creation of a complete account of the persecuted Church throughout Europe, starting from John Wycliff to 1563. Historyja is the most significant witness of the impact of Foxe's theological thought and ideas on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augustin Güntzer (1596 – 1657?) was a craftsman from beautiful Alsace region who wrote a description of his life. Although he grew up in quite modest conditions, he turned out to be a cheerful traveller. History did not treat him kindly – he was a victim of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) and had to emigrate several times in his life. In Strasbourg he lost his wife and his only son. Güntzer defined himself as a victim of Catholicism, which was his greatest enemy. The description of his travels around Italy reveals the confessionalism of those years. According to Güntzer, the Pope was the Antichrist. Nevertheless, he also noticed the beautiful aspects of Italy – not only the alleged homosexuality and sinfulness. He was interested in both Baroque architecture and olive trees. His description of his trip to Italy constitutes a source of information about the stereotypes concerning the general perception of the world in the first half of the 17th century.

Thomas Hobbes’ Political Theory and the Reformed Theology The purpose of this article is to show the relationships of Hobbes’ political philosophy in Leviathan with the Reformed Theology, including the Covenant Theology. It is reasonable to claim that this philosophy was inspired by religious elements of Calvinism. Although Hobbes is classified as contractual thinker, however, in Leviathan he used the concept of covenant, but defined it as a contract. The concept of covenant is strongly associated with a moral sphere. In the political theory of Hobbes the covenant faithfulness is the basis for policy. The secular nature of Hobbes’ theory, in fact, is based on the moral ground.

The purpose of this article is to show the relationships of Hobbes' political philosophy in Leviathan with the Reformed Theology, including the Covenant Theology. It is reasonable to claim that this philosophy was inspired by religious elements of Calvinism. Although Hobbes is classified as contractual thinker, however, in Leviathan he used the concept of covenant, but defined it as a contract. The concept of covenant is strongly associated with a moral sphere. In the political theory of Hobbes the covenant faithfulness is the basis for policy. The secular nature of Hobbes' theory, in fact, is based on the moral ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Historyczne is the property of Polska Akademia Nauk, Warszawska Drudkarnia Naukowa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)