The Development of Natural Law by Martin Luther
In 1517, Marting Luther published the "95 Theses," in which he argued against the
ecclesiastical corruption of the Church precipitated by indulgences (Chupp, 2020). The German
Princes who had a strained relationship with the Papacy found Martin Luther's "95 Theses" a
necessary tool to fight against the Papacy. Hence, the German Princes supported Martin Luther's
work and offered him protection from ecclesiastical prosecution (Chupp. 2020). Under the
Papacy of Pope Leo X, the Catholic Church intensified indulgences in a bid to raise money
(Stern, 2020). The issue of indulgence and whether the practice was tantamount to selling grace
was at the center of Luther's argument (cite).
According to Thomas Aquinas's Philosophy, human beings are rational creatures capable
of using reason to attain virtue and excellence (Kraut, 2008). Martin Luther was critical of the
philosophy of reason marking a distinctive departure from Aristotelian thinking (Stern, 2020).
Luther's critic of Aristotle's philosophy of reason was that if virtues and excellence were
attainable through habituation, then human beings can attain righteousness without God's grace
(cite). According to Luther, righteousness leads to righteous deeds, but righteous deeds do not
lead to righteousness (cite). Luther disparaged Aristotle's philosophy of ethics as "the worst
enemy of grace" (cite). Luthers philosophy of grace and personal salvation had implications on
Luthers approach to Social and Ethical issues (cite). Luther believed that justification through
works made it impossible for human beings to attain genuine love for their neighbors (cite).
Moving away from justification by work removes the anxiety caused by justification through
works because the beliver realizes that grace does not have to be earned and because the beliver
realizes that grace is unmerited their pride is taken away. (cite). Luther argues that a christian is
freed from subjection to the law because the law is not a prerequisite to human (cite). Being free
from the law does not imply being an outlaw, because the fallen human require contratints
enforced by the law. Luther invoked Augustines philosophy of “two cities” to expound that the
Christians resided on the same planet as the heathens and therefore laws are necessary for
containing the tendencies of the wicked (cite). The laws required to accomplish order call for
instutional authority to enforce them and this authority is rooted in the important role that these
civil institutions play to enable falle human beings to reside in harmony and fulfil Gods purpose
for creating the world (cite). In highlighting that the civil authorities played a role in achivening
the purpose of Gods creation, Luther was able to show that it was not necessarily the preserve of
the Church to enforce the law and neither were Christians excluded from public office (cite).
Luther also distinguishes between the natural law that is required to maintain order and is
applicable to all humans including the heathen and the law of the gospel and Christ (cite).
According to Luther the temporal kingdom has various orders which includes the State,
Government, the Church and Household and participation in these order is a way for Individuals
to serve God. Luther also argues that worldly authorities also serve in these orders to maintain
harmony in the world hence achieveing the purpose of Gods creation and as such, they do not act
on their own behalf but are surbodinated to Gods spiritual and divine authority (cite)
The Development of Natural Law by Richard Hooker
In 1533, the Pope excommunicated Henry VIII following his secret marriage to Anne
Boleyn after a standoff concerning the annulment of his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon
(cite). The aftermath of the dispute led to Henry VIII to initiate the separation of the Church of
England from the Papacy. Henry VII was declared head of the Church of England and undertook
measures that granted him wealth as the head of the church. Many people did not agree with
Henry VIII approach and this resulted in political and religious tensions stretching as far as to the
reigns of Queen Elizabeth (cite)/.Despite the tensions, Queen Elizabeth was determined to
maintain the independence of the Church of England and continue with the reforms of Henry
VII(Dickens, 1978: 411-413).
Richard Hooker in his defense of Queen Elizabeth drafted the book, Laws of
Ecclesiastical Polity, aimed at the Calvinist reformers (cite). In Geneva, Calvin had
established a system of church governance in which each congregation was
ruled by a commission made up of two-thirds laymen, elected annually by
the congregation, and one-third clergy serving for life. The English Puritans
argued that a church governed in any other way could not claim to be
Christian, and advocated the demotion of clergy and ecclesiasticis Oppenents of
Queen Elizabeth argued that the Governance by Bishops and the Monarch was not bibilical
(cite). Hooker feared that the religious tensions would weaken chritianity and rejuvenate
Aristitlean philosophy (cite). This led to Hooker adapting Aristotelan Philosophy to Christianity
in which he recoils to Aristolean theory of reason derived from the eternal law However, Hooker
differs from his predecessor, Thomas Aquinas by disiguisinh between natural law and eternal law
(cite). According to Hooker knowledge, reason and historical context played a role in the
interpretation of the scripture. Hooker writes in the (Lawes IV.11.7) "Words must be
taken according to the matter whereof they are uttered". Accoring to Hooker,
inclinations are not what leads to knowledge of the natural law but
calculated reason and clarity leads to knowledge.
In his bid to satisfy the Monarch and reassure the religious authorties who exercised civil
duties (cite), Hooker argued that authority was from the Bbile and should be based om reason
and religion as opposed to predeterminded Investures (cite). Hooker proclaimed that the
authority and judgement of bishops was not absolute and those governed may be justified by
taking back authority. In this context, Hooker echoed St Augitines philosophy of ‘an unjust law
is no law” by implying that the citizenary had the right to rebel agiasnt authority.
Conclusion
Martin Luther and Richard Hooker have had lasting impact on the Christian and polictial
paratices and sttucure. For Hooker, his defence of the Qqueen led him to uphold the Angilican
tradition, the bible and reason. (cite). Puritans belived that scripture was the sole authority while
the Catholic Chrurch had put at par, traditions and the Bbile. Hoker steered away from both
etremes by allowing scripture that was directly understandable as the absolute authority and
advocating for human reason when the scripture was amibigous or vague (cite). Martin Luther
had an influence on westersn civilization and was a catalyst for the emegerce of sevral protestant
churches. Luthers philosophy evolved as opposition to the notion developed by the Catholic
Chruch in the medieval period that presumed all people as Christians (cite)
