| − | Government ruled by a divine means or by leaders considered to be divinely guided. Israel was a theocracy before King Saul. The Islamic Republic of [[Iran]] is a modern-day theocracy, as many commentators believe that the real power in its government lies not in democratically-elected leaders like [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] but in clerics within the government. The Vatican is a formal Christian theocracy, with the Pope as head of both church and state.
| + | '''Theocracy''' is a form of government ruled by divine means or by leaders considered to be divinely guided. [[Israel]] was a theocracy before King Saul. The Islamic Republic of [[Iran]] is a modern-day theocracy, as many commentators believe that the real power in its government lies not in democratically-elected leaders like [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] but in clerics within the government. The [[Vatican]] is a formal Christian theocracy, with the [[Pope]] as head of both church and state. |
| − | Theocracy may also describe any government which seeks to impose religious princibles or law on its population, even if the government is formally secular. | + | Theocracy may also describe any government which seeks to impose religious principles or law on its population, even if the government is formally [[secular]]. |