POLC70H3 Lecture : polb70 lecture notes
Document Summary
Polb70: classic texts in political theory i: professor lee. Some background on the political significance of the protestant reformation. We studied earlier in our course how the catholic [= "universal"] church claimed universal jurisdiction and how it was understood to be not only a religious institution but also a legal and political institution. Catholic doctrines - epitomized in the papal bull of boniface viii, unam sanctam -- the whole world was thought to be under the power of the pope and its priestly hierarchy, which represented god on earth. All other secular rulers with temporal powers (the power of the temporal sword) was "granted" to them on loan from the pope. What made the church so powerful was the belief in its monopoly on salvation - that was its trump card. The church could indirectly control and shape policy by the threat of cutting-off or. Excommunicating" people from the church, and thus, god.
