Serving God in a Largely Theocratic Society: Rivalry and Cooperation between Church and King

A “largely theocratic society” (LTS) is defined as one in which the main purpose of government is religious and some coercion is used to serve it. Such societies exist at least in the imagination and discourse of some people. The focus is on LTS in which the major religious roles are assigned -partly on the basis of theological interpretations -to priesthood, kingship and community. In the small model presented, the influence of these interpretations on actual outcomes and their appeal to the main actors depend also on the expected configuration of religiously relevant capabilities, assumed to vary in part exogenously and in a part as a consequence of the reactions of the community. The illustrations are mostly sought in the relationship between the papacy and the Christian monarchs. JEL Classification: D7, H1, Z12