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To: Matchett-PI
The doctrine of the "divine right of kings" is a Protestant invention. To be specific, it was invented by the Protestant English king James I (he of KJV fame). It was unknown in pre-Reformation Catholic Europe.

Perhaps James I wasn't a Calvinist, but he wasn't a Catholic, either. If you'd like to demonstrate that the idea of the "divine right of kings" is contrary to Calvinism, be my guest, but don't stick us with the blame for it.

55 posted on 03/27/2002 10:34:25 AM PST by Campion
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To: Campion
"The doctrine of the "divine right of kings" is a Protestant invention.."

Is that what you got out of that paragraph? I doubt if I have ever seen anyone miss the point as widely as you just did. I hope you didn't do it on purpose.

Tell you what! Let's just take that little phrase out of the paragraph, break it up in smaller bites, and see if you can get the point this time:

"Romanism especially does not thrive in a republic, but there Calvinism finds itself most at home.

An aristocratic form of church government tends toward monarchy in civil affairs, while a republican form of church government tends toward democracy in civil affairs.

Says McFetridge, "Arminianism [Romanism] is unfavorable to civil liberty, and Calvinism is unfavorable to despotism.

The despotic rulers of former days were not slow to observe the correctness of these propositions, and feared Calvinism as republicanism itself."

It might also be helpful to you to go back to reply #53, click on that paragraph link, and go read the rest of it.

70 posted on 03/27/2002 4:12:34 PM PST by Matchett-PI
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