Questions tagged [civil-government]
For questions about the government's authority, how Christians should interact with secular governments, the relationship between Church and state, and the relationship between Christianity and secular laws.
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Did ancient Roman Christians celebrate any Roman national holidays?
Did ancient Roman Christians celebrate any Roman national holidays? Or were all their national holidays festivities which honored pagan gods?
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For Evangelical/Fundamentalist Protestants, what is the motivation for supporting morality-based legislation?
Just to be clear, I'm only referring to activities that are victimless, or at least harm nobody except for those who willingly participate. If I understand Calvinist (TULIP) theology correctly, ...
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Can priests be on capital punishment juries?
Can priests be on capital punishment juries, or is this interdicted as an irregularity by canon law?
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Is moonlighting an offense against Ten Commandments?
Government employees of many countries are prohibited by the respective conduct rules, from taking up any employment of monetary gain, on the assumption that they are 24x7 for the Government. From the ...
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How can Romans 13 be reconciled with authorities who could act unjustly?
In Romans 13:3, the scriptures state that the authorities hold no terror for those who do right. Considering all the martyrs who have been persecuted for doing right, then how can this scripture be ...
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Why do the Gospel accounts not specify what crimes the two men crucified next to Jesus were guilty of?
Matthew 27:38 and Mark 15:27 say “two robbers” were crucified with Jesus. Luke 23:32 says “two criminals” were crucified with Jesus. John 19:18 says only that “two others” were crucified with him.
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Is there a way of working out approximately how much money Zacchaeus would have given away and given back as restitution?
Luke 19:1-10 relates Zacchaeus’s transformative encounter with Jesus, which had the chief tax collector almost instantly promising to give half of his possessions to the poor, and paying back four-...
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What, historically, was the stance of the Catholic Church about the duty to obey non-Christian governments?
My understanding of history is that:
During the times of the early Roman Empire the stance of the persecuted Christians was that they recognize the authority of the State and the Emperor and obey ...
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Which of the Ten Commandments becomes a subject of aberration if a Christian evades Income Tax?
In many countries like India, Return of Income Tax due to the Government from the citizens are filed online on the dedicated Tax Portal . Each citizen is required to disclose the income he earned in ...
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What are the impacts on churches and Christian practice (if any) because of Indonesia's updated criminal code?
The Australian Associated Press reports:
Decades in the making, the new criminal code is expected to be passed on December 15, Indonesia's deputy justice minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej told ...
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Why are Evangelical Christians pushing to outlaw abortions without clear Biblical guidance on abortion? [duplicate]
Laws, especially when made for moral reasons, should have unambiguous support in God's Word. But God's Word is far from unambiguous on this issue. The clearest passages addressing abortion (although ...
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According to Catholicism, is it a gravely sinful act to give shelter to a criminal wanted by the State?
Imagine this situation: Mr A who is a close friend of Mr B enters into a heated argument with Mr C who is their common friend, in a remote area. Mr C provokes A to such an extent that the latter ...
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What is the biblical justification for a monarchy?
Is there any biblical justification for a monarchy in either the New or Old Testament of the bible (ie a system of government with a monarch at the head) and if so where in the bible do we see this?
user60738
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What was the Cathars' / Albigensians' political philosophy?
What was the Cathars' or Albigensians' political philosophy? Was it the same as the Manicheans'? Who were these movements' prominent political philosopher-theologians?
All these dualists thought that ...
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What does Jehovah's Witnesses canon say about the United States, if anything?
Inspired by this other question on the LDS denomination. What I am curious on is if the Jehovah's Witnesses holy writings (whatever they consider "canon") say anything about the United ...
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Why do Latter-day Saints believe that the US Constitution is divinely inspired and what does that mean?
Recent events have brought more attention to some Latter-day Saints who have referred to the US Constitution as "divinely inspired." When did this belief originate? What scriptures do they ...
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Is a lawfully-constituted civil society divinely-instituted?
According to Catholic theologians, is every lawfully-constituted civil authority divinely-instituted like the Church (Mt. 16:18-19)?
Pope Leo XIII, in his 1881 encyclical on the origin of civil power, ...
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Is it obligatory for a Catholic to obey all government regulations even if they contradict religious norms?
What happens when the law contradicts the word of God, his commandments, his moral norms, catechism, etc.
What prevails?
Is it legitimate to disobey the laws of the land to protect Christian values ...
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God made them male and female - is this truth now redundant? [closed]
Does the church have another opportunity to simply follow the world into a whole new level of absurdity, or is there any reason to draw a line in the sand on this matter of self-identification?
One ...
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Meaning of confession and doctrine in this context?
What is the difference between the meaning of ‘confession’ and ‘doctrine’ in this context, and what their ‘unity’ is supposed to mean. I know based on my searches that ‘confession’ might mean ...
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Why do churches merge?
Our local mobile church leadership has proposed a merger with another local church.
Reasons cited were
a) pandemic meant they couldn't meet at the public school they had been using for 8 years so we ...
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Has any monk or nun ever left a monastery to be married to a king or queen?
Has any monk or nun in Church history ever left a monastery to be married to a king or queen?
St. Margaret of Hungary, according to Short Lives of the Dominican Saints p. 16, almost did:
Her parents ...
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Why was "lay investiture" condemned?
What was the Investiture Controversy and lay investiture, and why exactly was it condemned?
Fr. Hardon, S.J., defines "lay investiture":
The act by which a sovereign, in the Middle Ages, ...
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Does Romans 13:1-2 contradict the actions of civil disobedience taken by the apostles?
Romans 13:1-2 (ESV):
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists ...
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Does the State have the right to correct the Church in theological matters?
Did any Catholic theologians think the State ever has the right to correct the Church in theological matters?
For example, when Pope John XXII (r. 1316-1334) denied the then-material (i.e., not-yet-...
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Persecution in Christianity
I had a strange exchange with a user on this forum. They took a view I doubt Thomas Aquinas would have agreed with. They felt that anything that interfered with saying the Mass was persecution.
Let ...
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What's the biblical basis for protesting government mandates that threaten basic democratic rights?
Assuming a peaceful and respectful approach to voicing opposition to proposed government mandates or legislation that would make various segments of society (including Christianity) subject to ...
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What is the Biblical basis for civil disobedience, by not wearing a mask in the midst of COVID-19, despite health department rules?
In many places in the United States there are health department rules that require those attending worship inside a church to wear a mask. Yet, there are many churches that refuse to be in compliance ...
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Can Catholics participate in a regime or administration that lies to protect its people?
An article in Slate describe "Noble Lies" as:
When experts or agencies deliver information to the public that they consider possibly or definitively false to further a larger, often well-...
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Has there been any denominational, official, public push-back against governments declaring in-person worship 'non-essential'?
Christians share certain beliefs that can be at odds with secular governments. In particular, Christians believe that salvation of souls is much more important than bodily health, as souls can exist ...
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Verse that says that he who cannot govern himself cannot govern others?
Where in Holy Scriptures does it say that he who cannot govern himself cannot govern others?
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Do Jehovah Witnesses believe it is immoral to pay for blood transfusions through taxation?
I’m having a discussion about abortion and taxes, and it was mentioned that Jehovah Witnesses have to pay taxes that fund blood transfusions.
Do Jehovah Witnesses believe it is immoral to pay for ...
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Is there any biblical support for the Church to allow governments to close churches and prevent public worship?
There is a basic Bible principle for Christians to obey the laws of the authorities that govern them:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which ...
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Why do most Christians seemingly not mind swearing on the Bible in light of Matthew 5:33-37?
Although the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the ...
user50490
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Do Christians foresee contradicting Government requirements in prolonged 'lockdown' conditions?
I received an email today from someone who has, thus far, complied with Government advice, concerned that prolonged lockdown conditions or 'semi-lockdown' conditions (which pose significant ...
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Why did the Bishop of Rome accept (and retains until today) the title "Pontifex Maximus" and how were the rights and duties transferred/transformed?
According to the annual yearbook of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Rome holds many other titles:
Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal ...
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How to pray for a corrupt government involved in drug trafficking?
Venezuelan government/regime is destroying the country through corruption, drugtraffiking to the USA and Europe, murder, kleptocracy, unjustified imprisonments. The government palace is full of ...
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Does the Church of England regard itself as responsible for the behaviour of the general populace?
Today, the Church of England has released an apology for a statement they made.
In response to people now entering into civil partnerships, rather than traditional marriage, the C of E made a ...
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According to the Catholic Church, what is the best form of civil government?
According to the Catholic Church, what is the best form of civil government?
I am looking for references to Church documents.
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According to Catholic Social Doctrine what duties do Catholics have towards sex offenders on supervisory release?
If a government authority decides to place two child sex offenders on Supervisory Release in a vacant house in the immediate proximity of ones family, should that placement be fought or is it the duty ...
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Does Catholic Church condemn cruelty to animals? [duplicate]
The Government administrtion in my country, India, has of late been positively intervening against cruely to animals including stray dogs and domesticated cattle . I would like to know whether the ...
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Was the Catholic title "vicar of Christ" conceived as an "assistant" or an "agent"?
I was under the impression that a "vicar" was a "replacement" or "one acting in the stead of" another (an "agent") but it appears the Roman title of "vicar" seems to be more of an assistant. What is ...
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What is the biblical basis for carrying out social justice in opposition to the justice system?
What is the Biblical basis for seeking social justice when such actions are considered illegal, or in opposition to the justice system?
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What groups advocate and establish "unlicensed" churches in the US?
In the United States, most churches file papers of incorporation and formally apply for 501(C)3 status. A few choose not to, a notable example being the Indianapolis Baptist Temple Church in Iowa ...
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Is there any historical record of Elizabeth the First's reaction to John Knox's tract on 'the monstruous regimen'?
In his tract The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstruous Regimen of Women (see note below about the wording) John Knox appears to be extending Paul's proscription - regarding the place of ...
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Can a secular government ever be a moral authority?
Can a secular government ever be a moral authority? For example, if there comes a day in the future that a secular government decrees that murder is no longer a criminal offense in that nation, ...
user42718
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According to Catholicism do any of the Ten Commandments directly relate to tax evasion?
Evasion of tax eg. Income Tax is a punishable offence under the civil laws in many countries. But many Christians seldom get the feeling of having sinned if they have evaded tax.
I wish to know if ...
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Why do Filipino Catholics have a harder time to get a church annulment?
This question may be wrong. I think the right question is in the following link: How do Filipino Catholics get a church annulment when their state marriage is valid, considering the Philippines doesn&#...
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How has opinion on the death penalty among American Catholics shifted since 1974?
In 1974, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), "by a substantial majority, voted to declare its opposition to capital punishment" (source). In 1980, it reaffirmed this stance in ...
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What is the Catholic Church's historical position on capital punishment: how did we get here?
It's big news in the internet today. Pope Francis declares death penalty unacceptable in all cases. The Pope made specific changes to the catechism reflecting this. From the New York Times:
Francis ...
user3961