Subsections
Against Separation from Impure Civil Governments
The Best
Kayser, Phillip – Armed Resistance to Tyranny: The Biblical Mandate and Limits from the Life of David, 1995, 12 pages, outline notes
This is the most Biblically detailed short exposition of lawful resistance to tyranny available
Contemporary Articles
Bacon, Richard – The Reformed Doctrine of Resistance to Tyrants: Goliath’s Sword in Righteous Hands, HTML, 1998, 33 paragraphs
Excellent short introduction to the topic
Clark, Stephen, editor – Rutherford and Armed Resistance, 2005, 4 pages
This is a summary of Samuel Rutherford’s doctrine of Armed Resistance as found in his Lex Rex.
Hausam, Mark – Against Cameronianism Part 1, Part 2, 2012, 28 & 18 paragraphs
Cameronianism teaches that if a civil government is not fully Christian then it does not have lawful authority from God. The view came from the covenanter Richard Cameron in Scotland in the 1680’s and is currently held by Still Waters Revival as well as some other Reformed Presbyterians.
Sommerville, J.P. – Protestant Resistance Theory, HTML, 16 paragraphs
This webpage gives historical sketches, pictures and excerpts of the development of English, French and Scottish resistance figures and theory
Wikipedia – Monarchomachs, 7 paragraphs
“Monarchomach” comes from the Greek, meaning fighters of monarchy (kingly rule). It was originally a pejorative term for reformed writers of the late-1500’s that advocated the Biblical doctrine of resistance to civil tyranny, including François Hotman (1524–1590), Théodore de Bèze (1519–1605), Simon Goulart (1543–1628), Nicolas Barnaud (1538–1604), Hubert Languet (1518–1581), Philippe de Mornay (1549–1623) and George Buchanan (1506–1582). Wiki gives helpful background to the historical era.
Books
Gardiner, Samuel, ed. – The Constitutional Documents of the Puritan Revolution: 1625-1660, HTML, 1906, 470 pages
This documentary history chronicles the thought and legal interpretations of the English puritan Long Parliament’s resistance to King Charles I, his trial and execution, the takeover by Oliver Cromwell and the subsequent restoration of Charles II.
Mason, Roger – Knox: On Rebellion, Buy 1994, 290 pages
A collection and analysis of all of John Knox’s material on resistance to tyranny, including much selected from his complete writings that is not linked above (see Part II of the Table of Contents through Amazon’s “Look Inside” preview through the Buy link above)
Examples of Godly Resistance
Iraqi Christians Take up Arms to Defend Themselves from Muslims, 2014, CBS Video News clip, 2:38 min.
The Death Warrant of King Charles I of England
“At the High Court of Justice for the trying and judging of Charles Stuart, King of England, Jan. 29, Anno Domini 1648.
Whereas Charles Stuart, King of England, is, and standeth convicted, attainted, and condemned of high treason, and other high crimes; and sentence upon Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court, to be put to death by the severing of his head from his body…”
Related Pages
