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Thomas Erastus, Swiss theologian, was born on September 7, 1524 and died on December 31, 1583.
His name lives on in the theory of church-state relations in which the state controls the church known as Erastianism.
Erastus actually argued for the power of excommunication to be given to civil rather than ecclesiastical authorities. Beza challenged him on this point and Samuel Rutherford defended Beza during the Erastian controversy of the Westminster Assembly. Beza, Rutherford, Gillespie and others maintained the authority of the state in matters circa sacra in contrast to the Erastian position on church-state relations: in sacris. Grotius, Hooker and Lightfoot helped to develop the Erastian doctrine as we know it today. William Cunningham distinguishes the Erastian and Presbyterian positions on church-state relations ably in Discussions on Church Principles: Popish, Erastian and Presbyterian. See also Cunningham on The Westminster Confession On The Relation Between Church And State.
His name lives on in the theory of church-state relations in which the state controls the church known as Erastianism.
Erastus actually argued for the power of excommunication to be given to civil rather than ecclesiastical authorities. Beza challenged him on this point and Samuel Rutherford defended Beza during the Erastian controversy of the Westminster Assembly. Beza, Rutherford, Gillespie and others maintained the authority of the state in matters circa sacra in contrast to the Erastian position on church-state relations: in sacris. Grotius, Hooker and Lightfoot helped to develop the Erastian doctrine as we know it today. William Cunningham distinguishes the Erastian and Presbyterian positions on church-state relations ably in Discussions on Church Principles: Popish, Erastian and Presbyterian. See also Cunningham on The Westminster Confession On The Relation Between Church And State.