John Locke’s Concept of Tolerance as a Reaction to the Principle “cuius regio, eius religio”

Abstract

As the aim of this article is to demonstrate and assess of argumentation value for the tolerance, we can find in The Letter on Tolerance, written by John Locke (1632–1704). His concept of tolerance was the answer to the political principle cuius regio, eius religio, for the first time verbally formulated in Germany (Augsburg, 1555), but much earlier applied in England during the reign of Henry VIII. Beyond all doubt Locke proved that religion subordination to the current politics was a fatal political error. In the 1530–1689 years it caused political terror, social turmoil and considerable depreciation of Christian religion. A king was a Supreme Governor of Church of England and in practise decided on dogmatic shape of official religion. Governments based on the principle cuius regio, eius religio were intolerant by definition towards “non stated-owned” confessional communities. Their religious beliefs were driven back to the illegal private life. Royal opponents were excluded from the public sphere, imprisoned and even executed. John Locke was the first European thinker, who thoroughly understood this extremely expensive political error, committed by the king Henry VIII and his successors, and by his writings provoked comprehensive discussions, which to a considerable degree led to the political, social and religious peace in England.

As a primordial aim for John Locke was not to make a project of generally accepted religious tolerance. In spite of some sympathy to Socinian writers, English thinker had no irenistic inclinations, in order to participate in creation of inter-religious theological minimum, possible to accept by all sides. Locke, as a philosoph of politics responded to the needs of his times. The main problem was how to get England out from a state of permanent turmoil, bloody conflicts and continuous ideological discussions, bringing out growing religious and polical hate, and to lead to stable social peace. His concept of tolerance had first and foremost historical meaning and to some degree contributed to the development of European democracy.