Magisterial Reformation

The Magisterial Reformation is a phrase that "draws attention to the manner in which the Lutheran and Calvinist reformers related to secular authorities, such as princes, magistrates, or city councils", i.e. "the magistracy".[1] While the Radical Reformation rejected any secular authority over the Church,[2] the Magisterial Reformation argued for the interdependence of the church and secular authorities, i.e. "The magistrate had a right to authority within the church, just as the church could rely on the authority of the magistrate to enforce discipline, suppress heresy, or maintain order."[1]

In addition, the term magister relates to the emphasis on authoritative teachers. Often this is seen in the names of theological schools descending from magisterial reformers (i.e. Lutheran, Calvinist, Zwinglian, etc.)[3]

References

  1. 1 2 McGrath, Alister (1998), Historical Theology, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, p. 159, ISBN 0631208437
  2. Saint-Clair, Geoffrey (2001), Who’s Who in the Reformation, The Radical Reformation, retrieved 2012-11-17
  3. Gstohl, Mark (2004), The Magisterial Reformation, retrieved 2012-11-17


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