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Divine Authority and Resistance

• God places authorities above people; resisting political authority equates to resisting God's choice.
• Active resistance is permissible only when authority commands actions against God's will.

Religious Authority and Political Power

• Divergence exists within Calvinist thought:
  • Some advocate for resistance against tyranny based on religious grounds (Calvinist resistance theory).
  • Others support divine right monarchy, asserting that rulers are appointed by God and cannot be resisted.
• King James VI/I: Proponent of divine right monarchy; wrote "The True Law of Free Monarchies" arguing that kingship originated from a promise made to God.

Examples of Religious Conflict

• Schmalkaldic War (1531): Protestant alliance formed in Germany to defend against Catholic forces, leading to violent conflicts.
• French Wars of Religion: Calvinists (Huguenots) vs. Catholics (1562-1598); included the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572).
• Thirty Years' War (1618-1648): Major religious and political conflict involving multiple European powers, leading to significant casualties.

Key Events of the Thirty Years' War

• Defenestration of Prague (1618): Protestant nobles threw Catholic officials out of the window, symbolizing rebellion.
• The war spanned four phases: Bohemian, Danish, Swedish, and French, leading to a complex and prolonged conflict.
• Ended with the Peace of Westphalia (1648), which marked a significant shift in European political structures and diminished the severity of religious wars.

Conclusion

• Religious disputes in Europe contributed to instability, conflict, and extensive violence throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, reshaping European politics and society.