Difference between revisions of "Samuel Rutherford"
(a start) |
(improved) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Samuel Rutherford''' (1601-1661) was a Scottish [[Puritan]] minister who defended the doctrine of grace. 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> | + | 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. |
| + | |||
| + | Rutherford's idea became a foundation for [[Rule of Law]] in Anglo-American jurisprudence. | ||
When power was restored to the king around 1660, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death. He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward. | When power was restored to the king around 1660, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death. He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward. | ||
Revision as of 01:49, November 25, 2008
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.
When power was restored to the king around 1660, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death. He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward.
