加尔文教的“两个国度”思想对西方宪政民主的深远影响

在宗教改革运动中产生的加尔文教不仅以其"天职"观念为资本主义经济活动提供了一种合理性根据,而且也以其"两个国度"的思想为西方现代宪政体制奠定了重要的神学基础。从加尔文教所坚持的圣约理想中,引申出一种以上帝权柄作为保障的民主观念。这种圣约民主观念在法国胡格诺派、苏格兰长老会、英格兰清教徒反对君主专制的斗争中,逐渐与世俗的自然法学派思想相合流,最终导致了西方现代宪政民主体制的产生。

Influence of Calvinistic Doctrine of "Two Kingdoms" upon the Western Constitutional Democracy

Calvinism does not only justify capitalistic economic activities with its concept of calling,but also lays a theological foundation for the western constitutional democracy with its doctrine of "two kingdoms".From the covenant ideal of Calvinism derives the concept of democracy guaranteed by the authority of God.Such an idea of covenant democracy,in the fights of French Huguenots,Scottish Presbyterians and English Puritans against monarchies,merges gradually with the secular natural law school,and results in the modern constitutional democracy in the west.