God’s Caring Vice-Regent: The Lutheran transformation of the Senecan ideal of the benevolent monarch as the basis of both absolutism and social responsibility

Bo Kristian Holm

doi:10.3138/tjt-2021-0016

God’s Caring Vice-Regent: The Lutheran transformation of the Senecan ideal of the benevolent monarch as the basis of both absolutism and social responsibility

School of Culture and Society - Systematic Theology, subject

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This article centres on the role of the Lutheran confession in societal development in the Nordic countries, especially Denmark. Using the concept of social imaginaries, it argues that the Lutheran Reformation refined a monarchical ideology already existent in ancient Roman stoicism that both moved society toward absolutism and emphasized the government's responsibility for social welfare. This thesis is documented by examples of royal ideology from material in the Danish national archives. The use of Denmark as a case exemplifies how confession can play a formative role for society and, at the same time, offers new material for the correct interpretation of Luther's two kingdoms doctrine as an ontology and a world view.

Original language	English
Journal	Toronto Journal of Theology
Volume	37
Issue	2
Pages (from-to)	135-146
Number of pages	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3138/tjt-2021-0016
Publication status	Published - 9 Dec 2021
Event	2019 AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA - San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, United States Duration: 23 Nov 2019 → 26 Nov 2019

Conference

Conference	2019 AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA
Location	San Diego Convention Center
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	23/11/2019 → 26/11/2019

Keywords

Benevolence
Confessional society
Luther
Scandinavian political history
Seneca

Access to Document

10.3138/tjt-2021-0016

Cite this

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abstract = "This article centres on the role of the Lutheran confession in societal development in the Nordic countries, especially Denmark. Using the concept of social imaginaries, it argues that the Lutheran Reformation refined a monarchical ideology already existent in ancient Roman stoicism that both moved society toward absolutism and emphasized the government's responsibility for social welfare. This thesis is documented by examples of royal ideology from material in the Danish national archives. The use of Denmark as a case exemplifies how confession can play a formative role for society and, at the same time, offers new material for the correct interpretation of Luther's two kingdoms doctrine as an ontology and a world view.",

keywords = "Benevolence, Confessional society, Luther, Scandinavian political history, Seneca",

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language = "English",

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pages = "135--146",

journal = "Toronto Journal of Theology",

publisher = "University of Toronto",

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note = "2019 AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA ; Conference date: 23-11-2019 Through 26-11-2019",

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God’s Caring Vice-Regent: The Lutheran transformation of the Senecan ideal of the benevolent monarch as the basis of both absolutism and social responsibility. / Holm, Bo Kristian.
In: Toronto Journal of Theology, Vol. 37, No. 2, 09.12.2021, p. 135-146.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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AU - Holm, Bo Kristian

PY - 2021/12/9

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N2 - This article centres on the role of the Lutheran confession in societal development in the Nordic countries, especially Denmark. Using the concept of social imaginaries, it argues that the Lutheran Reformation refined a monarchical ideology already existent in ancient Roman stoicism that both moved society toward absolutism and emphasized the government's responsibility for social welfare. This thesis is documented by examples of royal ideology from material in the Danish national archives. The use of Denmark as a case exemplifies how confession can play a formative role for society and, at the same time, offers new material for the correct interpretation of Luther's two kingdoms doctrine as an ontology and a world view.

AB - This article centres on the role of the Lutheran confession in societal development in the Nordic countries, especially Denmark. Using the concept of social imaginaries, it argues that the Lutheran Reformation refined a monarchical ideology already existent in ancient Roman stoicism that both moved society toward absolutism and emphasized the government's responsibility for social welfare. This thesis is documented by examples of royal ideology from material in the Danish national archives. The use of Denmark as a case exemplifies how confession can play a formative role for society and, at the same time, offers new material for the correct interpretation of Luther's two kingdoms doctrine as an ontology and a world view.

KW - Benevolence

KW - Confessional society

KW - Luther

KW - Scandinavian political history

KW - Seneca

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God’s Caring Vice-Regent: The Lutheran transformation of the Senecan ideal of the benevolent monarch as the basis of both absolutism and social responsibility

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

LUMEN: LUMEN - Center for the Study of Lutheran Theology and Confessional Societies

Den nordiska hushållstaten: variationer på ett tema av Luther

Cite this

God’s Caring Vice-Regent: The Lutheran transformation of the Senecan ideal of the benevolent monarch as the basis of both absolutism and social responsibility

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

LUMEN: LUMEN - Center for the Study of Lutheran Theology and Confessional Societies

Den nordiska hushållstaten: variationer på ett tema av Luther

Cite this