Democracy

The topic of “church and politics” is always relevant. Today, both spheres refer to each other, whereas in the past they were often intertwined. For a long time, the Roman Catholic Church claimed supremacy of spiritual power over secular power. The Reformation sought to distinguish and separate the two. Currently, Christian churches, Muslim associations, and the Central Council of Jews (Zentralrat der Juden) in Germany are committed to strengthening liberal democracy. However, there are also religious actors who support authoritarian political systems. Due to the very different national traditions and constitutional situations, this article focuses on the situation in Germany.

• Religion
• Society

This article examines how democracy can be a way of enacting fundamental Christian commitments. It opens with a definition and then assesses the scriptural precedents for a commitment to democracy. The article closes by outlining the key modern theological arguments that exhort active involvement in democratic struggles for justice and liberation as well as responsibility for developing and sustaining democratic political systems. The entry as a whole outlines a theological grammar of democracy, providing a means to evaluate theologically whether a particular polity or form of politics is democratic.