Theocracy is ... What is a theocracy: definition

The term "theocracy" was first used by a Roman historian of Jewish origin, Joseph Flavius, in the 1st century AD. He used this word in his work "Against Appian", where he argued with the famous grammarian of that era. Although Flavius was a Roman tribute and even took his name in honor of the emperor, he knew only the Greek language on which he wrote his works.

Hence the etymological roots of the term. The first half of the word is translated as "god", the second - "to rule". Thus, it can be concluded that theocracy is a form of government in which the supreme ruler has both state and religious power.

Basic Provisions

Often the ruler receives the status of vicegerent of God in the territory, which he manages. But this is not the only definition. Another interpretation of the term implies that the supreme person is God himself.

Theocracy is a way of the ancient and later medieval society to explain the universe. In the views of each people, religion played a big role. It was so important that no authority was considered legitimate if it was not given by a god or pantheon of deities in the case of the Gentiles.

Theocracy, clericalism and secularism

The concept of theocracy is closely related to clericalism. This is a political movement within the state that seeks to strengthen the rights and significance of the clergy. By and large, theocracy is the ultimate measure of clericalism. This term is more often used in the description of modern society as opposed to the traditions that existed in antiquity and the Middle Ages. Today clericalism is realized not so much with the help of religious organizations (eg churches), but rather through political tools - social movements and parties.

Contrary to this current there is an opposite phenomenon - secularism. According to this concept, the state and religious organizations should exist separately from each other. The principles of secularism are enshrined in the laws and constitutions of many secular states, where there is no official confession. One of the most vivid and significant examples of the implementation of this concept took place right after the revolution of 1917, when the Bolsheviks who came to power deprived the church of property and separated it from the bureaucracy. The founder of the idea of secularism is Epicurus, who argued in his philosophical rebuke with the ministers of the cult of ancient Greek gods.

Examples of theocracy

The first theocracy was called the state of the Jews, when this term was introduced by Josephus Flavius to describe the power of his people. However, chronologically, monarchies with religious rule existed before. So was the Egyptian kingdom, where the title of Pharaoh signified the viceroyalty of God on earth. A similar principle can be found in the Roman Empire, where emperors were recognized as gods. Most of them are countries of the monarchy. The list can be continued with Islamic caliphs, which were also considered the heads of all Sunni Muslims.

Islamic theocracy

Among the rest, the Muslim theocracy has a special attention to the fulfillment of divine laws. The rules of Sharia, fixed in the Quran, are binding for everyone. Previously, such states were called caliphates. The first of these was founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th c. After that, his successors spread the power of Islam in the Middle East, northern Africa and even Spain.

However, much time has passed since then. Nevertheless, for example, in Iran and Saudi Arabia, until now all the courts are based on the laws of the Koran. The Persians are Shiites, and their religious head has more rights than the president. For example, he appoints many influential ministers, including those responsible for the defense of the state.

In Saudi Arabia, political form of government is the successor of the caliphate. The monarch has absolute power, and for violation of Sharia law, a person may face the death penalty.

Buddhists

Experts often argue about what a theocracy is. The definition has many interpretations. One of them was reflected in Buddhists. An example is the Central Tibetan organization, which in many respects imitates the features of the previous state of Tibetan monks. Since the middle of the XX century, his administration is in exile after the invasion of the Chinese People's Army.

However, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, has great authority among his flock scattered all over the world. People consider him to be the embodiment of God on earth, which makes the system similar to the Islamic system and some others.

On the City of God

Christian tradition laid the foundations of theocracy in the treatise "On the City of God." It was written in the 5th century. Theologian Aurelius Augustine. And although in his work he does not use the term himself, but he describes the same principle by his own example. According to him, theocracy is the city of God, where all life is built according to the law of the Covenant.

Its inhabitants do not violate the commandments and live in harmony. In parallel with this, there is also the city of Terrestrial. He is the opposite of his God's reflection. The laws inside him are determined by the people themselves who, in a fit of pride, decided that they can not live according to the Christian tradition. In other words, they denied God. According to Augustine, depending on the choice of hail, a person after death will be tried on a terrible Court. Everyone who has renounced the heavenly laws falls into hell, while those who choose the city of God go to heaven.

The work was written shortly after Rome was captured and plundered by the Goths, which strengthened the fatalistic mood of the author. There, Aurelius Augustine discusses secular power. It is given by God, which means that people must obey it. This principle will be used by the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire several centuries later.

Vatican

The modern Christian theocracy is the Vatican. This is the smallest state in the world. It is independent and governed by the Pope, who is considered the spiritual father of all Catholics.

Until 1929, in its place was the Papal States, which in its best years in the XIX century occupied half of modern Italy. This is a classical theocracy. Power is considered given from God. Sovereignty over the Vatican is determined by the Holy See, which the Pope possesses. In addition, he is also the head of the Catholic Church.

Power over it is not just legal, but complete and independent of someone's will. The Pope is elected for life for a conclave - a meeting of the main church cardinals. The procedure of choice is fixed from the XIII century.

History of the Papacy

This is a kind of ancient form of government. A table that talks about the periodization of the history of the Papacy, can include many stages. At first they were heads of closed communities, when Christians were persecuted by the Romans and worshiped their god, being in deep underground. And only in the IV century the emperor Constantine recognized religion, and the Pope received influence. However, at that time it only extended to the flock. But with the fall of secular power in Europe, the institution of the pontiffs was of great importance, since it was the only legitimate Christian title at that time. The influence of the papacy extended to all Western European countries of the monarchy. The list of kings that were considered a step below the pontiff was great - it included a dozen names.

These were original forms of government power. Royal titles were considered younger than the papal ones. European rulers obeyed and listened to the Holy Father, especially in the event of conflicts with each other. The popes spread the influence of the whole Church to pagan territories, calling their kings on the crusades, the most famous of which ended with the return of Jerusalem.

The struggle for investment and the Reformation

The current state of affairs in Christianity exists not so long ago. Prior to this, Pap's authority was challenged by numerous religious movements and even secular rulers. Here we are talking primarily about the struggle for investment in the XI - XII centuries.

The problem concerned the then form of government. The table of medieval society can describe to us several classes: peasants, traders, feudal lords. The latter also had their own ladder, at the top of which was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (covering mainly the territory of modern Germany). However, in parallel, there was a clergy who acted on behalf of God. His head was the Pope. The political power of the latter extended to almost the whole of the fragmented Italy.

The dispute between the two classes of society and two titles for the right to be in charge continued for several decades. In fact, it was a dispute about whether the state would be secular or theocratic.

In the end, the Catholic clergy defeated the imperial power, but its supremacy did not last long. With the beginning of the Renaissance and the development of science in Christianity, a movement of Protestants emerged, denying the supremacy of the Pope and the theocratic idea of Europe (the Reformation movement). After a thirty-year war, they covered half of the continent. Then theocracy has lost the chance to become the basis of power in Europe.

Theocracy in Russia

When our country was a monarchy, the prince or the king was considered the viceroy of God (the anointed one). At the same time, there was a title of patriarch, who was later replaced by a subordinate to the authority of the Synod. Thus, the Russian ruler, though not directly, controlled the Church.

In the XIX century, the existing political form of government was criticized by many thinkers and writers. For example, the Church was criticized by Leo Tolstoy, for which he was even excommunicated from the flock. But the philosopher Vladimir Soloviev proposed to unite Catholic and Orthodox institutions. This would mean the emergence of a worldwide Christian theocracy. It would unite the two largest flocks in the world, split since 1054.

With the advent of Soviet power, secularization and separation of the Church from the state occurred. The modern Russian Federation is a secular state where there is freedom of religion, and no religious organization has an exclusive status.