6533b82bfe1ef96bd128e29c

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Serving God in a largely theocratic society: rivalry and cooperation between Church and King

subject

description

Theocracy may be understood in different ways. The meaning mostly used is government by priesthood but we may call that “ecclesiocracy” or “hierocracy.” Here, theocracy will designate government according to God’s prescriptions and wishes—with the specification that the implementation or satisfaction of these prescriptions and wishes should be a public or political rather than a private affair and should involve some degree of coercion. The two meanings are different notably because, in the second, priests need not be the ones, or the only ones, who rule on God’s behalf.