Ecclesiastical State
The Ecclesiastical State refers to a form of governance where the laws of the state are derived from religious principles and guided by a recognized religious authority. This political system can take various forms, often blending religious and civil authority. A notable example is Vatican City, which operates under an ecclesiastical government led by the Pope, who serves as both a spiritual and state leader. In some predominantly Islamic nations, such as Iran, theocratic elements dominate; the government is influenced by Islamic law (sharia), and religious leaders play a crucial role in the political process.
Typically, in ecclesiastical governments, the church or religious institution is the source of all laws, and eligibility for public office is often contingent upon approval by religious authorities. Citizens may participate in elections, but their rights and opportunities often depend on their religious affiliation, which can lead to disparities in representation and rights among different religious groups. While purely ecclesiastical systems are rare today, many countries incorporate elements of religious law into their legal frameworks, reflecting the ongoing interplay between faith and governance.
Ecclesiastical State
Guiding Premise
An ecclesiastical government is one in which the laws of the state are guided by and derived from religious law. Ecclesiastical governments can take a variety of forms and can be based on many different types of religious traditions. In some traditions, a deity or group of deities are considered to take a direct role in the formation of government, while other traditions utilize religious laws or principles indirectly to craft laws used to manage the state.
In many cultures, religious laws and tenets play a major role in determining the formation of national laws. Historically, the moral and ethical principles derived from Judeo-Christian tradition inspired many laws in Europe and North America. Few modern governments operate according to an ecclesiastical system, but Vatican City, which is commonly classified as a city-state, utilizes a modernized version of the ecclesiastical government model.
In some predominantly Islamic nations, including Sudan, Oman, and Iran, Islamic law, known as sharia, has been the basis for many national laws, and government leaders often must obtain approval by the leaders of the religious community before being allowed to serve in office. This type of system, in which individuals approved by religious authorities are elected by citizens to hold public office, is known as a theocratic republic.
Typical Structure
In an ecclesiastical government, the church or recognized religious authority is the source of all state law. In a theocracy, which is one of the most common types of ecclesiastical governments, a deity or group of deities occupies a symbolic position as head of state, while representatives are chosen to lead the government based on their approval by the prevailing religious authority. In other types of ecclesiastical governments, the chief of state may be the leading figure in the church, such as in Vatican City, where the Catholic Pope is also considered the chief of state.
There are no modern nations that operate on a purely ecclesiastical system, though some Islamic countries, like Iran, have adopted a semi-ecclesiastical form of republican government. In Iran, the popularly elected Assembly of Experts—comprised of Islamic scholars called mujtahids—appoints an individual to serve as supreme leader of the nation for life, and this individual has veto power over all other governmental offices. Iranian religious leaders also approve other individuals to run as candidates for positions in the state legislature. In many cases, the citizens will elect an individual to serve as head of government, though this individual must conform to religious laws.
In an ecclesiastical government, those eligible to serve in the state legislature are generally members of the church hierarchy or have been approved for office by church leaders. In Tibet, which functioned as an ecclesiastical government until the Chinese takeover of 1951, executive and legislative duties were consolidated under a few religious leaders, called lamas, and influential citizens who maintained the country under a theocratic system. Most modern nations separate governmental functions between distinct but interrelated executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Many modern semi-ecclesiastical nations have adopted a set of state principles in the form of a constitution to guide the operation of government and the establishment of laws. In mixed constitutional/theocratic systems, the constitution may be used to legitimize religious authority by codifying a set of laws and procedures that have been developed from religious scripture. In addition, the existence of a constitution facilitates the process of altering laws and governmental procedures as religious authorities reinterpret religious scriptures and texts.
Role of the Citizen
Citizens in modern ecclesiastical and semi-ecclesiastical governments play a role in formulating the government though national and local elections. In some cases, religious authorities may approve more than one candidate for a certain position and citizens are then able to exercise legitimate choice in the electoral process. In other cases, popular support for one or more candidates may influence religious authorities when it comes time to nominate or appoint an individual to office.
In ecclesiastical governments, the freedoms and rights afforded to citizens may depend on their religious affiliation. Christians living in a Christian ecclesiastical government, for instance, may be allowed to run for and hold government office, while representatives of other religions may be denied this right. In addition, ecclesiastical governments may not recognize religious rights and rituals of other traditions and may not offer protection for those practicing religions other than the official state religion.
Though religious authority dominates politics and legislative development, popular influence is still an important part of the ecclesiastical system. Popular support for or against certain laws may convince the government to alter official policies. In addition, the populace may join local and regional religious bodies that can significantly affect national political developments. As local and regional religious groups grow in numbers and influence, they may promote candidates to political office, thereby helping to influence the evolution of government.
Examples
Afghanistan
Bibliography
Barrington, Lowell. Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print.
"Countries with a Theocratic Government Today." WorldAtlas, 19 Apr. 2018, www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-theocratic-governments-today.html. Accessed 9 Jan. 2019.
"Government Type." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/government-type/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.
Hallaq, Wael B. An Introduction to Islamic Law. New York: Cambridge UP, 2009. Print.
Head, Tom. "The Definition of Theocracy." ThoughtCo., 16 Nov. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-theocracy-721626. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.
Hirschl, Ran. Constitutional Theocracy. Harvard UP, 2010.