Lutheranism Augustine's model of the
City of God was the foundation for Martin Luther's doctrine, but Luther goes farther. According to the two kingdom doctrine, the spiritual kingdom, made up of true Christians, does not need the sword. The biblical passages dealing with justice and retribution, therefore, are only in reference to the temporal (natural) kingdom. Luther also uses this idea to describe the relationship of the church to the state. He states that the temporal kingdom has no authority in matters pertaining to the spiritual kingdom. He points to the way in which the Roman
Catholic Church had involved itself in secular affairs, and princes' involvement in religious matters, especially the ban on printing the
New Testament. This law-gospel distinction parallels and amplifies Luther's doctrine of Christians being at the same time saint and sinner, a citizen of both kingdoms. Luther describes them as slaves of sin, the law, and death while alive and existing in the natural kingdom, but when dead in Christ, they become instead
lords over sin, the law, and death. The law-gospel distinction can be traced back to
Philip Melancthon's 1521 commentary on Romans, and Melancthon's 1521
Loci Communes.
Reformed John Calvin, as well as later
Reformed orthodox figures, clearly distinguish between God's redemptive work of salvation and earthly work of providence. Scottish theologian
Andrew Melville is especially well known for articulating this doctrine, and the Scottish
Second Book of Discipline clearly defined the spheres of civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Orthodox theologians such as
Samuel Rutherford also used the Reformed concept and terminology of the two kingdoms.
Francis Turretin further developed the doctrine by linking the temporal kingdom with Christ's status as eternal God and creator of the world, and the spiritual kingdom with his status as
incarnate son of God and
redeemer of humanity. The Reformed application of the doctrine differed from the Lutheran in the matter of the external government of the church. Lutherans were content to allow the state to control the administration of the church, a view in the Reformed world shared by
Thomas Erastus. In general, however, the Reformed followed Calvin's lead in insisting that the church's external administration, including the right to
excommunicate, not be handed over to the state.
Anabaptism Anabaptism adheres to "two kingdoms doctrine", which teaches that: ==Response and influence==