The early modern body politic was foundationally built on the Reformation while simultaneously rejecting its legitimacy. In 1517, Martin Luther set forth to revise the Christian doctrine against the politics of his era, followed by John Calvin who furthered reformative political ideas. The Reformation transformed society from an exclusive theocratic state of class division to an inclusive personal relationship with God, whose grace was accessible to those He predetermined, (Kolb, R., p. 1). This limited view of government encouraged scholars to develop separation between church and state, viewing the state as a sovereign artificial body, (Ryan, A., p. 439). Luther and Calvin succeeded in disrupting the Mediæval body politic, and facilitating a demand for a new political era, the Reformed body politic. John Calvin wrote in his Institutes of the Christian Religion that Scripture was “[a] perfect rule of life in the Law. God our only Lawgiver,” (Calvin, J., p. 1355). John Calvin declared that Moral Law was “incumbent on all,” yet supported double predestination; writing “[f]or the elect are brought by calling into the fold of Christ, not from the very womb, nor all at the same time, but according as God sees it meet to dispense his grace,” Calvin, J., p. 1128). Martin Luther wrote against predestination that Paul “would not have any to inquire or search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds forth the Gospel and faith to all men. So he taught before, that we are saved through faith in Christ,” (Luther, M., Loc 39972). Despite their differences, both Luther and Calvin alluded that Christianity was the only means of salvation, barring many members from its polity. All of these inherent foundations established by Calvin and Luther would be dismissed in the presiding early modern body politic; a movement that brought secularism to government.
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The Early Modern Body Politic
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The early modern body politic was foundationally built on the Reformation while simultaneously rejecting its legitimacy. In 1517, Martin Luther set forth to revise the Christian doctrine against the politics of his era, followed by John Calvin who furthered reformative political ideas. The Reformation transformed society from an exclusive theocratic state of class division to an inclusive personal relationship with God, whose grace was accessible to those He predetermined, (Kolb, R., p. 1). This limited view of government encouraged scholars to develop separation between church and state, viewing the state as a sovereign artificial body, (Ryan, A., p. 439). Luther and Calvin succeeded in disrupting the Mediæval body politic, and facilitating a demand for a new political era, the Reformed body politic. John Calvin wrote in his Institutes of the Christian Religion that Scripture was “[a] perfect rule of life in the Law. God our only Lawgiver,” (Calvin, J., p. 1355). John Calvin declared that Moral Law was “incumbent on all,” yet supported double predestination; writing “[f]or the elect are brought by calling into the fold of Christ, not from the very womb, nor all at the same time, but according as God sees it meet to dispense his grace,” Calvin, J., p. 1128). Martin Luther wrote against predestination that Paul “would not have any to inquire or search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds forth the Gospel and faith to all men. So he taught before, that we are saved through faith in Christ,” (Luther, M., Loc 39972). Despite their differences, both Luther and Calvin alluded that Christianity was the only means of salvation, barring many members from its polity. All of these inherent foundations established by Calvin and Luther would be dismissed in the presiding early modern body politic; a movement that brought secularism to government.