In 1614, Europe hovered on the brink of all-out war. After almost a century of fighting between Protestants and Catholics, Emperors, and citizens, it seemed war was the only answer to their question of sovereignty and religion. The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) would indeed be a watershed moment in history, re-distributing rule, altering borderlines of countries, and decimating the human population. Many voices at that time attempted to answer the question of sovereignty, religious freedom, and religious overreach. Johannes Althusius, a German political philosopher, wrote of his ideal political vision in Politica. Initially published in 1603, he revised it in 1610 and 1614, respectively. The driving force in his writings is the pleasant dwelling of people together. For this to happen, the citizens and magistrates must remember that God created humanity for community, the family is the center of society, and sovereignty is in the hands of the people, not the prince.
Althusius took inspiration and direction from various early Western philosophers, including Aristotle, Cicero, and Augustine. But they were not his only influence. As a devout follower of Christ, he identified with the Reformed theology of John Calvin. At the heart of his ordering of society and politics, Althusius greatly emphasized the belief that God created humanity for community. It is when mankind is living in harmony that they experience the most significant effects of fellowship and society, mirroring God Himself. After all, the very Godhead represents three persons living in perfect harmonious communion with one another: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each entity has its specific role within the Godhead, a theme Althusius draws on in the latter sections of Politica. From this belief in the necessity of community, the remainder of his teachings flow and lock together.
Despite his insistence on community, Althusius did not believe that the community took the individual’s place. Instead, Althusius thought that the individual enhanced society, and he upheld the individual, placing great importance on each citizen’s role, whether a watchmaker or a prince, using verbiage that hearkens back to the teachings of the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church in Corinth, chapter twelve. The citizen fulfilling their calling can then enjoy the society of others, working together to create a robust community. To enjoy a peaceful, harmonious community with one another, the citizens must enter into covenants. Citizens experience these covenants in both private associations and public ones. The first covenant a citizen enters revolves around the family and is the marital covenant. This Biblical standpoint found its roots in the Garden of Eden when God instituted marriage, establishing each member’s role specific to their sex. Other covenants with immediate family and kinfolk are created from this original covenant. The purpose of these covenants is always to establish harmony and peace and are the foundation of a successful society.
Althusius stresses the responsibility of parents to bring up their children, teaching them the knowledge of God, respect for their elders, and commitment towards their clan. Though some in his day considered this an issue of economics rather than politics, Althusius defended his teachings by believing that through these familial covenant relationships, when each person performs their duty to the other, a pattern is established for the sphere outside the home, encouraging better civic participation and a more harmonious society. Althusius taught citizens to feel responsible for their community, including defense, decoration, and even digging ditches. All of this focuses on the continual betterment of the society.
After establishing the foundation and function of what Althusius calls the natural association, he turns his attention to the civil association. The civil association derives from those already within the community and have covenanted with one another in their family or clan circles. Because it is a civic association, people have the option to be a participant. Althusius also stresses that when a man, who is head of his household, leaves to join the leaders of other family units to pursue work, he enters a new sphere of his life: the public sphere. One of the constant themes applied to this civic association is the voluntary nature of it. It can be discontinued anytime and will show signs of warp and woof as time passes.
Not only is this civic association voluntary, but more importantly, it is dictated to by the consent of the citizens. Oaths of fidelity are exchanged between the superior and the citizens to maintain a harmonious balance between the leader and the citizenry. Althusius carefully delineates the government’s and the Church’s responsibilities within this civic association. The role of the government is to enforce the peace and ensure safety for the inhabitants of the city. The part of the Church, or the Ecclesiastical function, is oversight of the saints, worship, and most importantly, the teaching of the knowledge of God. Therefore, when civic leaders follow through on their responsibilities to protect and ensure peace, the Church enjoys the freedom to accomplish its calling. These spheres of influence and accountability are not the same, but they work together, helping to create a harmonious society.
Just as every family is different, Althusius teaches that every city has the freedom to establish its laws and guidelines to help them function and provide the opportunity for happy and harmonious living. However, the rights that the citizens of the city and suburbs enjoy are only for the citizens. They share the privileges, benefits, and laws that make their city a wonderful place to live. But the foreigner and traveler do not have the right of participation, for they have not joined in covenanting with the city’s citizens.
Althusius writes with understanding regarding the appropriate place and knowledge of sovereignty in society. Initially, in his 1603 edition of Politica, he noted that administrative powers have a limited right of sovereignty, but in the 1614 edition, he associates sovereignty with right or law. Sovereignty, therefore, applies to the people, not just the magistrate.[1] If the goal of society is to live in harmony, then it follows that the magistrate, who has been placed in power by the citizenry, must remember that they are ruling within a covenant. The citizens have the right to remove them from their office should they abuse their sovereignty or not uphold their part of the covenant. Furthermore, Althusius firmly supports majority rule regarding decision-making, thus preserving society from the tyranny of the minority.
Over two centuries after Althusius penned his Politica, Abraham Kuyper, a Dutch Reformed theologian and politician, drew from the wisdom found within the writings of Althusius. Kuyper’s concept of Sphere Sovereignty hearkens back to Althusius, and just as Althusius laid out the formula for a peaceful, harmonious society, so also did Kuyper: the Family, the Church, the Civic Government; all of them have their sphere of instruction and governance, and when they work together side by side, not vaunting themselves over the other, peaceful living is the product.[2] Sadly, for those who lived and perished during the Thirty Years’ War, the wisdom of Johannes Althusius was not employed and could not rescue them. May the current society grasp with heart and mind these timeless truths of humanity built for community exemplified in the Family and practiced in the Civic arena, fulfilling a happy and content populace.
[1] Note 7, pg. 214. Johannes Althusius. Politica: An Abridged Translation of Politics Methodically Set Forth with Sacred and Profane Examples. Edited and Translated by Frederick S. Carney. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1995. ISBN: 978-0-86597-115-8.
[2] Abraham Kuyper. “Sphere Sovereignty. A Public Address Delivered at the Inauguration of the Free University, October 20, 1880.” https://media.thegospelcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/24130543/SphereSovereignty_English.pdf
Beginning To End: All Things History 