Difference between revisions of "Samuel Rutherford"
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| − | '''Samuel Rutherford''' (1601-1661) was a Scottish [[Puritan]] minister who defended the doctrine of grace, a key tenet of Calvinism. He was an advocate of limited government at a time when there was a struggle between the British Parliament and the king for power. | + | '''Samuel Rutherford''' (1601-1661) was a Scottish [[Puritan]] minister who defended the doctrine of grace, a key tenet of Calvinism. He was an advocate of [[limited government]] at a time when there was a struggle between the British Parliament and the king for power. |
He published "Lex, Rex" ("The Law, the King") to argue for limitations on a divine right of kings.<ref>http://www.ccel.org/r/rutherford/</ref> The title was a play on the phrase -- and a refutation of it -- known as "Rex Lex," which was the accepted view that the king ''is'' the law. | He published "Lex, Rex" ("The Law, the King") to argue for limitations on a divine right of kings.<ref>http://www.ccel.org/r/rutherford/</ref> The title was a play on the phrase -- and a refutation of it -- known as "Rex Lex," which was the accepted view that the king ''is'' the law. | ||
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[[category:Clergy]] | [[category:Clergy]] | ||
[[category:law]] | [[category:law]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Conservative]] | ||
Revision as of 18:24, November 20, 2009
Samuel Rutherford (1601-1661) was a Scottish Puritan minister who defended the doctrine of grace, a key tenet of Calvinism. He was an advocate of limited government at a time when there was a struggle between the British Parliament and the king for power.
He published "Lex, Rex" ("The Law, the King") to argue for limitations on a divine right of kings.[1] The title was a play on the phrase -- and a refutation of it -- known as "Rex Lex," which was the accepted view that the king is the law.
Rutherford's idea became a foundation for Rule of Law in Anglo-American jurisprudence.
After the English Restoration of 1660, which returned Charles II to the throne, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death. He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward.