Notes on "A History of Political Theory" -- Episode 10

For episode 9 see here

 The Theory of the Universal Community

 X. Seneca and the Fathers of the Church
    A. Seneca wrote in the early days of Empire
    B. Reflects despondence of a Rome in social and political decline 
    C. Good man can do nothing through political office and such offices
         have little to offer good men
     D. Duty of the good man is to offer moral or religious virtue, to become
          the teacher of mankind
       1. offered strength and consolation in this world
       2. turned toward contemplation of spiritual life
       3. beginning of split between religious life and politics
     E. Religious institutions begin to form along side state
     G. State no longer seen as highest agency of moral perfection 
     H. Seneca saw innocent Golden Age, a state of nature
      I.  For him, government and law are an ethical second-best and as a cure for
           the sinfulness of civilized man
      J. Rise of Christian Church as distinct institution to govern spiritual
          concerns of men was revolutionary
       1. Religious doctrine of salvation was neither philosophy nor political theory
       2. Philosophy of early Christians not unlike Stoics  
          i. law of nature
          ii. providential government of the world
          iii. obligation of law and government to serve justice 
          iv. equality of all men before God
       3. Added obligation to respect constituted authority, as derived from God,
          not the people
          i. respect due institution, not merely the person of the ruler
          ii. But unlike Roman law, it was necessary to suffer bad ruler as he came
              from God and not the people
          iii. Yet obligation to God higher than obligation to the state
       4. Christianity split what for pagans was a unity -- that the duties of
          morality and religion met in the state
       5. Led to problems of church and state (which made possible liberty)
       6. Church and State were to be mutually interdependent with the Church
          the superior partner
     K. Ambrose, Augustine and Gregory
       1. Dealt not with systemic philosophy of Church and State but with
         immediate pressing problems
       2. Ambrose -- 4th Century AD
          i. strong statement for autonomy of the Church in spiritual matters
          ii. taught and converted Augustine
       3. Augustine -- 5th Century AD
          i. transmitted ancient thought to Middle Ages
          ii. Saw human history as dominated by contest between earthly city
              (lower human nature) and the City of God
          iii. through earthly life, however, the two cities are mingled
          iv. true commonwealth must be Christian as only such a state is just
       4. Gregory -- pope, father of the medieval papacy
          i. obedience to ruler extended to passive obedience to wicked ruler
          ii. ruler had power even to do what was unlawful, providing he was
             willing to risk damnation
       5. The Two Swords
          i. Church held spiritual interests and eternal salvation which was the
           province of teaching by clergy
          ii. State held temporal authority, maintenance of peace, order and
           justice
          iii. between the two a spirit of mutual helpfulness ought to prevail
       6. Universal Christian society was the Empire and the Universal Church,
       7. Split laid the ground for the right of (spiritual) freedom
 

Next week: The Folk and Its Law