Editing Christendom (section)

===Church and state framing===
{{Main|Canon law|Christian ethics}}

Within the framework of Christianity, there are at least three possible definitions for Church law. One is the Torah/Mosaic Law (from what Christians consider to be the [[Old Testament]]) also called [[Divine Law]] or [[Biblical law]]. Another is the instructions of [[Jesus|Jesus of Nazareth]] in the [[Gospel]] (sometimes referred to as [[the Law of Christ]] or the [[New Commandment]] or the [[New Covenant]]). A third is [[canon law]] which is the internal [[ecclesiastical]] law governing the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] churches, and the [[Anglicanism|Anglican Communion]] of churches.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Canon law}}</ref> The way that such church law is [[legislative power|legislated]], interpreted and at times [[court|adjudicated]] varies widely among these three bodies of churches. In all three traditions, a canon was initially a rule adopted by a [[ecumenical council|council]] (From Greek ''kanon'' / κανών, [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] kaneh / קנה, for rule, standard, or measure); these canons formed the foundation of canon law.

[[Christian ethics]] in general has tended to stress the need for [[divine grace|grace]], [[mercy]], and [[forgiveness]] because of human weakness and developed while [[Early Christians]] were subjects of the [[Roman Empire]]. From the time Nero blamed Christians for setting Rome ablaze (64 AD) until [[Galerius]] (311 AD), persecutions against Christians erupted periodically. Consequently, Early Christian ethics included discussions of how believers should relate to Roman authority and to the empire.

Under the [[Constantine I and Christianity|Emperor Constantine I]] (312–337), Christianity became a legal religion. While some scholars debate whether Constantine's conversion to Christianity was authentic or simply matter of political expediency, [[Edict of Milan|Constantine's decree]] made the empire safe for Christian practice and belief. Consequently, issues of Christian doctrine, ethics and church practice were debated openly, see for example the [[First Council of Nicaea]] and the [[First seven Ecumenical Councils]]. By the time of [[Theodosius I]] (379–395), Christianity had become the [[state religion]] of the empire. With Christianity in power, ethical concerns broaden and included discussions of the proper role of the state.

[[Render unto Caesar...]] is the beginning of a phrase attributed to Jesus in the [[synoptic gospel]]s which reads in full, "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's". This phrase has become a widely quoted summary of the relationship between Christianity and secular authority. The gospels say that when Jesus gave his response, his interrogators "marvelled, and left him, and went their way." Time has not resolved an ambiguity in this phrase, and people continue to interpret this passage to support various positions that are poles apart. The traditional division, carefully determined, in Christian thought is the [[Sovereign state|state]] and [[Christian Church|church]] have separate [[sphere of influence|spheres of influence]].

[[Thomas Aquinas]] thoroughly discussed that ''human law'' is [[positive law]] which means that it is [[natural law]] applied by governments to societies. All human laws were to be judged by their conformity to the natural law. An unjust law was in a sense no law at all. At this point, the natural law was not only used to pass judgment on the moral worth of various laws, but also to determine what the law said in the first place. This could result in some tension.<ref>Burns, "Aquinas's Two Doctrines of Natural Law."</ref> Late ecclesiastical writers followed in his footsteps.

{{See also|Doctrine of the two kingdoms|Unam sanctam}}

====Democratic ideology====
{{Main|Christian democracy}}

[[Christian democracy]] is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of [[Catholic social teaching]]. In a number of countries, the democracy's Christian ethos has been diluted by [[secularisation]]. In practice, Christian democracy is often considered [[social conservatism|conservative]] on cultural, social and moral issues and [[progressivism|progressive]] on fiscal and economic issues. In places, where their opponents have traditionally been secularist [[socialism|socialists]] and [[social democracy|social democrats]], Christian democratic parties are moderately [[conservatism|conservative]], whereas in other cultural and political environments they can lean to the left.