Thread by @PhilipDerrida

#ProtestantPoliticalTheory from the Synod of Bern (1532): a compilation thread 🧵

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"It is certainly not possible for the common ministers and servants of the Word of the eternal God to commence and maintain fruitfully an external order without the co-operation and help of the temporal authorities."

The Bern Synod (1532)
1/71

"It is fitting that the magistrate who desires to maintain a Christian rule and a pious government should diligently apply His authority as God’s maidservant, preserving the external aspects of the doctrine and life of the gospel among their subjects."

The Bern Synod (1532)
2/71

"But while the progress of grace is to be promoted by the temporal magistrate insofar as it relates to external affairs, it does not lie in the power of man to set in motion or carry forward the inward development of these things in the heart."

The Bern Synod (1532)
3/71

"That movement of grace pertains not to any temporal authority or creature, for spiritual and heavenly things are far too high, beyond the reach of all earthly power."

The Bern Synod (1532)
4/71

"As a consequence, no magistrate should compel the conscience, or command and forbid with respect to anything more than what is outward, lest good consciences should be burdened and the Holy Spirit constrained."

The Bern Synod (1532)
5/71

"Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom God has given all authority and the power of the Holy Spirit, is alone the Lord of the conscience.”

The Bern Synod (1532)
6/71

"On this account [i.e., Jesus Christ is the only Lord of the conscience] the pope, bishops, priests, and all their retinue are but antichrists, advancing the doctrine of the devil. For they all presume to rule the conscience."

The Bern Synod (1532)
7/71

"The temporal authority should have nothing to do with these [antichrist] blasphemies, but should diligently prevent and shun them."

The Bern Synod (1532)
8/71

"He [the temporal authority] should not on this account refrain from pursuing a godly government in outward things, to the extent that the free movement of grace can be advanced by your power as a fellow laborer with God."

The Bern Synod (1532)
9/71

"This entails that you [the temporal authority] should give attention to sound doctrine, ward off error and enticement to evil, remove all blasphemy, and open sin in religion and life, and protect truth and honesty, etc."

The Bern Synod (1532)
10/41

"Now... your excellencies have received the gospel with boldness, and have enjoined your subjects to do so as well, having established it as a law of this city, by oath maintained among you and all your subjects both in the city and canton."

The Bern Synod (1532)
11/41

"It is as with other outward laws, which your government must heed, and which may never be forsaken by you if you would maintain your reputation in the world."

The Bern Synod (1532)
12/41

"It is true that whenever Christ himself is not at work, your [the magistrate's] service and your power touching the gospel only makes men hypocrites, and has always only done as much."

The Bern Synod (1532)
13/41

"For many shun the Mass as blasphemy, who otherwise would be well satisfied with this abomination if your excellencies had not by your edict and command abolished it. But this must not deter you."

The Bern Synod (1532)
14/41

"The ministry of Moses respecting the law of God is likewise capable of nothing more [than demand external conformity], though it is a law of life."

The Bern Synod (1532)
15/41

"This [i.e., pointing to Israel's desert wanderings] is the sparse fruit which is produced in respect to God by the activity of servants in outward things."

The Bern Synod (1532)
16/41

"It should make no difference with your excellencies as to how it will be received. For even though the world takes it to be mere hypocrisy, the intention of your excellencies... is to bring everyone to the truth and to remove public scandal."

The Bern Synod (1532)
17/71

"Though neither you nor any authority is able to produce a good conscience before God, yet the service performed by your excellencies procures the preaching of the pure Word of God among your subjects, and ensures that His grace will be heralded with clarity."

Bern Synod
18/71

"The people are directed to the fountain... If from the outset your actions were even to be fruitless in everyone, which is not possible, yet notwithstanding you would have done your [magisterial] part, and delivered your soul."

The Bern Synod (1532)
19/71

"Moses and the devout kings of Judah by this means brought about much good, when they secured the observance of the law among the common people."

The Bern Synod (1532)
20/71

"For in the reading of the law and the preaching of the Word, for which the kings labored, the judgment of God against the wicked is proclaimed, and public blasphemy is remedied, together with infamy, vice and scandal."

The Bern Synod (1532)
21/71

"Deceit is rebuked, and good is promoted and made known. For this cause the devout kings are highly praised by the Holy Spirit in the pages of Scripture."

The Bern Synod (1532)
22/71

"An objection made by some simple people should not dissuade your excellencies from this Christian purpose. For some say that Christianity is an inward thing, and accordingly is not to be managed with the sword, but is administered by the Word of God."

Bern Synod (1532)
23/71

"They [some simple people] allege... that your excellencies set up a new papacy when you desire to meddle with matters of faith, etc. The answer is that this would indeed be true, if a government brought pressure to bear upon the conscience."

The Bern Synod (1532)
24/71

"They allege... that your excellencies set up a new papacy when you desire to meddle with matters of faith, etc. The answer is that this would indeed be true, if a government... sought to control the Christian liberty which consists in a good conscience."

Bern Synod (1532)
25/71

"Be on guard that the truth be... proclaimed, that there be exhortations to righteous living, that... subjects & magistrates be reproved w/o fear, & that such external order be preserved in the worship of God as will not break the progress of the Holy Spirit."

Bern Synod
26/71

"These goals will be realized if your excellencies ratify the following Order, upon which we have conferred for the glory of God at this Synod, and if you command and bid that it be observed by us your subjects who are to preach this gospel in this city."

Bern Synod (1532)
27/71

"We as ministers and preachers, more than anyone else, ought to be, and ought to be called, the ambassadors of Christ, servants of the Spirit, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

The Bern Synod, I (1532)
28/71

"The honorable government of the city of Bern, and other magistrates, are and should be spoken of as the servants of God in respect to outward ordinances."

The Bern Synod, I (1532)
29/71

"There is a great necessity... that we should give careful attention to our ministry and to the office enjoined upon us, which is a spiritual, inward and heavenly one, and that we should apply ourselves to it with all diligence and full seriousness."

Bern Synod, I (1532)
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"Our office requires two things: sound doctrine and an amended, honest life both in regard to ourselves and also in relationship to those who with us belong to the household of faith."

The Bern Synod, I (1532)
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"When preaching, it ought not to be that... citation would be made only of the authority of your excellencies, saying, Such and such have the lords decided and commanded, and, therefore, the subjects are to believe and observe it."

The Bern Synod, XXVII (1532)
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"The consequence [of simply citing the magistrate in preaching] would be that those with little understanding will have more regard in divine things to your excellencies than to God Himself, which is a chief feature of the papacy."

The Bern Synod, XXVII (1532)
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"Faith considers God alone, and comes from the living Word of God and the illumination of the heart, and does not depend on your excellencies or any human judgment. For the just shall live by faith."

The Bern Synod, XXVII (1532)
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"It would be more appropriate to declare... the honorable government of Bern, have embraced the gospel, and disallowed the Mass and other things which have been found to be contrary to such and such passages of Scripture."

The Bern Synod, XXVII (1532)
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