國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

This  is  a  study  of  the  origins  of  political  theology  and  contemporary Erastianism.    St. Augustine in the fifth century promulgated such a doctrine as the correction of heresies, which is the natural corollary of his political theology.   Yet John Locke in the seventeenth century offered a view of religious toleration, to  mitigate  the  increasingly  harsh  sectarian  controversies.    This  essay  tries  to show  that  each  of  them  is  justifiable  with  regards  to  its  particular  historical context,  viz.,  the  age  of  universal  empire  and  kingship,  and  the  age  of democracy. Yet, we are urged to be highly alert on such a matter as the reproduction of the persecution of heresies in this modern era,in which,though, politics and faith have  been  largely  separated.  But  we  can  easily  see  that  the  separation  of  the secular  and  the  religious  does  not  eliminate  the  possibilities  of  spiritual conflicts  in  making  some  of  our  policies.    Today  controversies  such  as  gene reproduction  and  abortion  have  divided  our  society,  where  no  easy  consensus can yet be made.    The gaps are due to some deep differences in the articles of faith;  and  we  are  left  to  contemplate  on  the  scope  of  such  ethico-religiously oriented disputes and the proper attitude in facing them.