Folia Canonica 8. (2005)

STUDIES - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: The Changes of Modern Era Relation of Church and State in Europe

THE CHANGES OF MODERN ERA RELATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IN EUROPE 67

ization of state power, which was a perceptible process since the 16th century.12 The traditional conviction of the late Middle Ages13 about the origin of authority, which prevails in human society, first factually, then step-by-step theoretically, was questioned, too. The ruling sovereignty (see Jean Bodin)14 and the total, all over extending authority, which got its legitimacy from God ultimately, i.e. on some kind of level and basically empowers the State itself with religious relation, become unenforceable with the downfall of political arrangements of absolutism. Both enlightened absolutism and constitutional monarchy tried to give ground to the demand, which became obvious with the Enlightenment, that all state citizens with full political rights could influence the management of state (i.e. the human community) affairs. Until the 16th through 19th centuries the theory of two perfect society operating in the world assured more or less Church’s independence and functioning her own legal system. Consequently, the “perfect society”, i.e. both the Church and the State, possess all those instruments, which necessary to implementing their own goal.15 In practice this meant that norms and institutions, which arrange the relation between individuals and matters existing in society, turned gradually into total state control; while relations and institutions of religious domain remained under Church control.16 Different situation arose in protestant countries because interpretation of mainstream protestant trend about legal phenomenon inside Church differed fundamentally from Catholic Church’s beliefs. On their explanatory horizon only secular authority possesses capability of legislative and judicial power even in the inner life of Church.17 With this aunique form of Church-State-organization came into

l2Cf. CHADWICK, O., The Secularization of the European Mind in the Nineteenth Century, Cambridge 1975. 21-28.

13 Bisson, T.N., „Medieval Lordship”, in Speculum 70 (1995) 743-759. cf. Erdő, P., „Das Verhältnis zwischen Kirche und Staat in der Theologie der katholischen Kirche” in Theological Doctrines on the Ideal Church - State Relation (Cluj-Napoca, 22-23 February, 2000), Cluj-Napoca 2000. 97-114, especially 101-103.

14 Cf. Baudrillart, H.J.L, Jean Bodin et son Temps, Paris 1853. Janet, P., Histoire de la science politique, Paris 1872.

15 Cf. Ottaviani, A., Institutiones iuris publici ecclesiastici, I. Typ. pol. Vat. 1957. 33-155.

16 Cf. Listl, J., „ Die Religinsfreiheit als Individual- und Verbandsgrundrecht in der neueren deutschen Rechtsentwicklung und im Grundgesetz”, in ISENSEE, J. - RüFNER, W. — Rees, W. (Hrsg.), Kirche im freiheitlchen Staat. Schriften zum Staatskirchenrecht und Kirchenrecht (Staatskirchenrechtliche Abhandlungen 25), Berlin 1996. 3-64, especially 18-28.

17 Hackel, M., Staat und Kirche nach den Lehren der evangelischen Juristen Deutschlands in der ersten Hälfte des 17. Jahrhunderts (Jus Ecclesiasticum 6), München 1968. 14-44.