Abstract from Article

From Chrysostom to Luther: The roots of magisterial office in Martyr Vermigli’s political theology
Andries Raath

Published: Skriflig, 39(1), (2005), 1-33

Abstract

Peter Martyr Vermigli played a key-role in developing and formulating the Reformed version of the political covenant for legitimating the political order. Three important perspectives shaped Vermigli’s covenantal views: first, St. John Chrysostom’s idea of political office; second, Luther’s work on the divine origin of magisterial government and third, Heinrich Bullinger’s commentaries on the Biblical covenant. These perspectives were integrated by Vermigli into an influential paradigm of covenantal politics. The impact of the ideas emanating from Vermigli’s theologico-political federalism, was not limited to the 16^th-century Reformation, but also exerted considerable influence on the development of political contractarianism in 17^th and 18^th-century liberalism. In this contribution the emphasis is on Chrysostom’s and Luther’s contributions to Vermigli’s political theology.

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