1/4 - On "absolute power corrupts absolutely" - this is a valid insight, but it has three valid interpretations and another (the most common) which is backwards
lol i think we prolly agree in principle, but the Greek Orthodox church hardly offers an edifying spectacle when it comes to church-state relations... i assume you know the history of the Byzantines...
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Anglicanism was (and is) stunted by impressive papist efforts to subvert the Church. First Mary radicalized the clergy, then Charles II intentionally fanned fringe groups, then James II discredited all the loyal high churchmen who believed him and defended him zealously
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The papism of the Church caused problems of this type, not just in England but in every Western country, all through the Middle Ages. That a minor Italian prince arrogated the right to decide which of Henry VIII's children were legitimate was only the last straw
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That a princeling who was at the mercy of Charles V had authority to annul his niece's marriage was unfortunate, ofc. But even at pts where bishop of Rome could stand on its own two feet, he still intervened in power politics like this
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I've never seen a papist who was both (a) committed (i.e. not just ethnically RCC) and (b) able to give a complete account of his understanding of medieval papal mischief
End of conversation
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Do you think the dangers of giving a sovereign authority over the bishops are indexed to the general danger that the sovereign will be suborned and sink into a morass of informal power? Or do you see the risk as equal for good govt and misgovt?
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I agree (and n.b. the habit of training younger bros for the Church often led to kings who micromanaged theology to an unseemly degree) But the bishops can't claim religious policy as the exclusive domain of their caste; yesterday iirc I compared them to weapons engineers
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Weapons engineers should be trusted because they know the answer to tough technical questions better than anyone else But you don't let engineers set the military budget, make declarations of war, or anything like that
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There is no way to formalize the delineations; you didn't happen to read the blogposts I did on "formal and informal capacities", did you? Whether a marriage is null is legitimately a religious q. Whether a baby is bastard or legitimate issue is a political/legal q. Inseparable!
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