Judeo-

Christian
Tradition
MAROHOM-MEDINA
SIPE-UTTO
• The Judeo Religious and moral heritage is the only one other
major source of the western civilization and political thought.

• In 540 B.C Persia defeated Babylonia, and the King Cyrus of

persia issued the ethic of liberation, permitting exiled Jews to
return to their homeland, rebuild the temples of Jerusalem and
practice their religion freely.

• The Roman conquest Judea in A.D 70 had more disastrous effect

than with the Assyrian or Babylonian conquest. The Romans are
determined that the Jewish people must never rise again.
• Under the Leadership Simo bar Kochba ( “Son of the Stars”) The
Jews revolt, and fought for three years until A. D 135. The strength of
the Jewish people was the Bible as their Source of Ethics.

• During the next three centuries, The rabbis (teachers) dedicate their
main efforts to developing a way of life on the basis of the Bible and the
teaching of the Prophets that could subsist independently of any
outward material or political Instrumentalities.

• This development of Judaism is in many ways the most significant in

the Religion, it permitted the existence of the Jewish people without a
state for the next eighteen Hundred Years.
In the first Five centuries of the Christian era, the rabbis in the palestine and
babylonia developed the Mishnah and the Gemara, known together as the
Talmud. Compiled in a briefer Palestinian version and in a longer Babylonian
version around A. D 500. The babylonian Talmud is more authoritative of the two.

• Mishnah (Repetition) - The first written collection of the laws

after the bible.
• Germara (Completion)- It is a series of commentation
discussion and interpretion of the Mishnah.

• If the bible is the great and impresihable Achievement of the jewish community
in israel, The Talmud is the enduring moment of the Jewish community in
babylonia.
• Talmud- a collection of discussion by hundreds and hundreds of
teacher - scholar over a period of eight hindred years. A series of legal
and non-legal discussion and sayings, obiter dicta, stories and
allegories as handed down the rabbis. There is no single , or even
primary source of the talmud, Virtually every subject is touched on or
discuss.

• The central concept in Classical Jewish thought is Torah common

translation as “law” it is a constant spiritual commitment to way of life
that is centered on God.

• The Jewish Concept therefore challenges man to rise to the closest

possible communion with God by living a life of justice.
 Jews Greeks

The fundamental religious passion Fundamental impulse in Greek

of the Jews was to rise from the religions was to bring Gods down
earth to heaven, and tremble awe in from the heaven
the presence of God.
Acting justly Thinking Clearly

• The Jewish approach is fundamentally different in two scores: it denies that human reason and
wisdom can unlock the riddle existence. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, not
wisdom.

• Yirah means Fear the fear of man Be punsihed by God for his sins.

• The Christian principles of love as the basis of man’s relations with God and, more important
still as the basis of man’s relations with man find it’s inspiration in jewish sources.

• Love primarily is known as a dangerous and demonic relation between man and woman,
potencially destructive and tragic.
 St. AUGUSTINE
(A.D 354-450)

 St. Augustine was baptized in

Italy in A.D 387

 Bishop of Hippo (the modem

part of Buna, in Algeria) in 395,
where he stayed until his
death in 430
• He was interested in God, faith and Salvation and not so much in the organization
of the sate and it’s political juridicial relations of the church.

• He transform secular of justice into a religious one “The essence of justice is the
relation between man and God”, From which right relations between man and man
will inavitably follow.

• According to St. Augustine “ the peace that the state provides is no an o end in
itself but only on means. A condition that makes the servoice to God.

• Augustine’s adaptation of classical thought to Christian teaching created a

theological system of great power and lasting influence. 

• St. Augustine thus Christianizes the classical approach tp the theory of the state.

• Known for his works, Confessions and The City of God .

 The City of God
• It was written in response to the claim of the pagans that the termination of pagan worship by
Christian emperors resulted the sack of Rome by barbarians in 410.

• St. Augustine responded by stating that Christianity saved the city from complete destruction and that
Rome’s fall was not because of the abolition of pagan worship but because of the internal  m decay.

• He further outlined his vision of two societies, that of the elect (“The City of God”) and that of the
damned (“The City of Man”).

• These “cities” are symbolic embodiments of the two spiritual powers—faith and unbelief—that have
contended with each other since the fall of the angels.

• They are intertwined on this earth and will remain so until time’s end.

• St. Augustine also developed his theological interpretation of human history, which he perceives as
linear and predestined, beginning with creation and ending with the Second Coming of Christ.
St. Thomas Aquinas

 January 28, 1255 in Roccasecca, in the

Aquino country of the Kingdom of Sicily.

 Italian , Dominican Friar and Priest.

 Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis and

Doctor Universalis.

 Father of thomism
• He is Christian Theologian

• Produce d a new grounding for christian faith, redefinition of christian political thought.

• He incorporated Aristotle’s telos commitment to human reason views on forms of

Government.

• In 1259 Thomas was appointed theological adviser and lecturer to the papal Curia, then
the centre of Western humanism. 

• As a theologian, he was responsible in his two masterpieces, the Summa theologiae and

the Summa contra gentiles, for the classical systematization of Latin theology

• Thomas Aquinas contribution was the reorientation of christianity into a more rational-
based theology .
 On Kingship
• It was written favor to the king of Cyprus

• Man is an intelligent agent, and it is clearly the part of an Intelligent agent to act in view of an end.

• One man alone is not able to procure them all for himself, for one man could not sufficiently provide for
life unassisted therefore, it is natural that mn should live in the society of many.

• Where there is no governor the people shall fall.

UNJUST GOVERNMENT

Tyrant - derive from the strength, he opresses by the might instead of ruling by justice.
Oligarchy- The rule of the few, Opresses people by the means of their wealth
Democracy- It is a bad government carried by the multitudes controls. Which comes about when the
plebeian people by force of numbers opress the rich.
JUST GOVERNMENT

Aristocracy- Administered by a few men .of virtue

Kingship- if the government is in the hands of a one man alone.
Polity- if the government is administered by many

• The aim of any ruler should be directed towards securing the welfare of that
which he undertakes to rule.

• Since the rule of one man, whuch is the best, is to be preffered to be, and
since it may happen that it be changed into a tyranny, which is the worst. A
scheme should be carefully worked out which wound prevent the multitude
ruld by a king from falling into a hands of a tyrant.
• In order that spiritual things might be distinguished from earthly things,
the ministry of this kingdom has been entrusted not to earthly kings but
to priests, and most of all to the chief priest, the successor of St. Peter,
the Vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff. To him all the kings of the
Christian People are to be subject as to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
For those to whom pertains the care of intermediate ends should be
subject to him to whom pertains the care of the ultimate end, and be
directed by his rule.
 Summa theologica
• Summa theologica, also called the Summa, in Roman Catholicism, a systematic
compendium of theology written by Thomas Aquinas between about 1265 and
1273. 

• It is divided into three parts: Prima Pars, Prima Secundae, Secunda Secundae
and Tertia Pars.

Laws
• Political rulership must carried out under laws and the ruler should keep the laws he
make for others.
Where law is something pertaining to reason?
Law is a rule and measure of acts whereby man is induced to act or is
restrained from acting: for lex ( laws) is derived from ligare (to bind), because it binds
one to act.

Types of Law
• Eternal Law- A law governing the whole creation, a law not made but eternally
existing and therefore unknowable to humans entirely, yet the source of all true
law on earth.

• Natural Law- The practical reflection or sharing in “eternal reason” that provides
humans with objective, changeless, universal rules or general principles of actions
for ethical and political life.
• the basis of justice is our natural disposition to love human beings
and it is immutable, it would be impious to deminnish it, it cannot be
overidden by senate or people, it is for all peoples and all times. To
disobey it is to depart from human nature

• Human Law- true law that is derived from natural law. A rule of state
that is at odds with natural law is no law at all.

• Divine Law- The reaveled truths such as the ten commandments

and the sermon on the mounts that supplement and correct human
fallibility and frailty.
John of salisbury
 John of Salisbury (1120- 25
october 1180

 Johannes Parvus ( John the

Little

 Educationalist, Diplomat,
Friend of kings and scholars,
Bishop of Chartres and was
born at salisbury
 The Statesman’s Book
• Prince should not be tyrannical, his will is that of justice only. He makes decisions so that the society of
the people he rules over is ordered in a fair way as to not disadvantage the people.

• Following a leader is like following nature. In nature we need to bow down to rules and following society's
rules is deemed just as fundamental.

• The Prince shall never go against the will of God, the Prince is like a divine entity.

• To resist the Prince is to go against God.

• When the Prince is cruel against his subjects it is not him but God's will

• It is God's great pleasure to punish people who have sinned and the Prince is acting out God's actions.

• The Prince is not greater than the law. He must act withen the law.
THANK YOU