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By convention or by nature : Melanchthon's criticism of late medieval Ockhamist political thought in the Commentarii in aliquot politicos libros Aristoteles

Jensen, Mads Langballe LU (2014) In History of Political Thought 35(1). p.1-28
Abstract

The article argues that existing scholarship has missed Melanchthon's central objective in writing the Commentarii in aliquot politicos libros Aristoteles. Rather than merely criticizing peasants and radical preachers, Melanchthon sought to refute the Ockhamist political thought of Gabriel Biel and John Mair. Using Aristotle's naturalism within the theological framework of the political order as ordained by God, Melanchthon criticized the conventionalist account of the Ockhamists, specifically the principles underlying the case for popular sovereignty or the power of the community over the ruler. Instead he put forward a theory of politics and constitutional monarchy grounded in natural law.

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author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aristotle, Constitutionalism, Lutheran reformation, Monarchy, Natural law, Philipp Melanchthon, Popular sovereignty, Scholasticism
in
History of Political Thought
volume
35
issue
1
pages
28 pages
publisher
Imprint Academic
external identifiers
  • scopus:84891855168
ISSN
0143-781X
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f59e2edc-cede-4443-9ba5-6c6a1520e459
alternative location
https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/imp/hpt/2014/00000035/00000001/art00001
date added to LUP
2023-11-01 09:41:52
date last changed
2023-11-03 09:59:40
@article{f59e2edc-cede-4443-9ba5-6c6a1520e459,
  abstract     = {{<p>The article argues that existing scholarship has missed Melanchthon's central objective in writing the Commentarii in aliquot politicos libros Aristoteles. Rather than merely criticizing peasants and radical preachers, Melanchthon sought to refute the Ockhamist political thought of Gabriel Biel and John Mair. Using Aristotle's naturalism within the theological framework of the political order as ordained by God, Melanchthon criticized the conventionalist account of the Ockhamists, specifically the principles underlying the case for popular sovereignty or the power of the community over the ruler. Instead he put forward a theory of politics and constitutional monarchy grounded in natural law.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jensen, Mads Langballe}},
  issn         = {{0143-781X}},
  keywords     = {{Aristotle; Constitutionalism; Lutheran reformation; Monarchy; Natural law; Philipp Melanchthon; Popular sovereignty; Scholasticism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--28}},
  publisher    = {{Imprint Academic}},
  series       = {{History of Political Thought}},
  title        = {{By convention or by nature : Melanchthon's criticism of late medieval Ockhamist political thought in the Commentarii in aliquot politicos libros Aristoteles}},
  url          = {{https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/imp/hpt/2014/00000035/00000001/art00001}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}