The reception of Romans 13:1-7 during the English Reformation
This thesis is a reception history of the successive readings of Romans 13:1-7, and it reveals that St. Paulâs commands were ubiquitous in political and theological discourse during the English Reformation (c.1530-1603). This research demonstrates that Romans 13 is indispensable to understanding sixteenth-century debates touching politics and religion because it suffused the very immediate concerns of Christians such as the nature of spiritual and worldly power, duty, obedience, resistance, loyalty and conscience. This study examines an exhaustive collection of historical and contemporary sources in order to plot the reception. This approach differs greatly from past and present studies of the Reformation because it reveals the concrete interaction between the text and reader, and demonstrates how early modern political and religious thought were directed by interpretations of Romans 13. In viewing the Reformation through the reception of Romans 13, this thesis recognises that the exegesis of the participants of the English Reformation was part of a continuous conversation. This appreciation in turn permits us to trace the response of each successive reader of Romans 13 and observe their application of it
Foster, Steven Michael
The reception of Romans 13:1-7 during the English Reformation. This thesis is a reception history of the successive readings of Romans 13:1-7, and it reveals that St. Paulâs commands were ubiquitous in political and theological discourse during the English Reformation (c.1530-1603). This research demonstrates that Romans 13 is indispensable to understanding sixteenth-century debates touching politics and religion because it suffused the very immediate concerns of Christians such as the nature of spiritual and worldly power, duty, obedience, resistance, loyalty and conscience. This study examines an exhaustive collection of historical and contemporary sources in order to plot the reception. This approach differs greatly from past and present studies of the Reformation because it reveals the concrete interaction between the text and reader, and demonstrates how early modern political and religious thought were directed by interpretations of Romans 13. In viewing the Reformation through the reception of Romans 13, this thesis recognises that the exegesis of the participants of the English Reformation was part of a continuous conversation. This appreciation in turn permits us to trace the response of each successive reader of Romans 13 and observe their application of it
reception romans english_reformation reception history successive reading romans reveal paul command ubiquitous political theological discourse english_reformation demonstrates romans indispensable sixteenth_century debate touch politics_religion immediate concern christians nature spiritual worldly power duty obedience resistance loyalty conscience study_examines exhaustive collection historical_contemporary source order plot reception differs greatly past_present study reformation reveal concrete interaction text reader demonstrate early_modern political_religious think direct interpretation romans view reformation reception romans recognise exegesis participant english_reformation part continuous conversation appreciation turn permit trace response successive reader romans observe application