Samuel Pufendorf's "Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion" (published in Latin in 1687) is a major work on the separation of politics and religion. Written in response to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the French king Louis XIV, Pufendorf contests the right of the sovereign to control the religion of his subjects, because state and religion pursue wholly different ends. He concludes that, when rulers transgress their bounds, subjects have a right to defend their religion, even by the force of arms.Pufendorf's opposition to the French king does not demonstrate political radicalism. Instead, like John Locke and others who defended the concept of toleration, Pufendorf advocates a principled, moderate defense of toleration rather than unlimited religious liberty.Appearing at the dawn of the Enlightenment, Pufendorf's ideas on natural law and toleration were highly influential in both Europe and the British Isles. As Simone Zurbuchen explains in the introduction, "Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion" is a major contribution to the history and literature of religious toleration.Samuel Pufendorf (1632-1694) was one of the most important figures in early-modern political thought. An exact contemporary of Locke and Spinoza, he transformed the natural law theories of Grotius and Hobbes, developed striking ideas of toleration and of the relationship between church and state, and wrote extensive political histories and analyses of the constitution of the German empire.Jodocus Crull (d. 1713/14) was a German emigre to England, a medical man, and a translator and writer.Simone Zurbuchen is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England.

Originally published posthumously, in Latin, in 1695, "The Divine Feudal Law" sets forth Pufendorf's basis for the reunion of the Lutheran and Calvinist confessions. This attempt to seek a "conciliation" between the confessions complements the concept of toleration discussed in "Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion in Reference to Civil Society." In both works Pufendorf examines the proper way to secure the peaceful coexistence of different confessions in a state.Although he argued in "Of the Nature" that maintaining peace and order in the state does not require all subjects to share one belief, Pufendorf also believed that "true" Christianity was beneficial to society. For that reason he advocated a reunion of the confessions on the basis of fundamental truths that he believed were contained in the Bible, saying a conciliation should be enforced not by law but by mutual agreement of the dissenting parties. Therefore, the reunion of the confessions must be accompanied by toleration.Samuel Pufendorf (1632-1694) was one of the most important figures in early-modern political thought. An exact contemporary of Locke and Spinoza, he transformed the natural law theories of Grotius and Hobbes, developed striking ideas of toleration and of the relationship between church and state, and wrote extensive political histories and analyses of the constitution of the German empire.Theophilus Dorrington (1654-1715) was an Anglican clergyman and polemicist against Dissent.Simone Zurbuchen is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England.

Samuel Pufendorf's 1687 work Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion is considered one of the major works setting forth the doctrine of separation of politics and religion. Written in response to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the French king, Louis XIV, Pufendorf contests the right of the sovereign to control the religion of his subjects, because state and religion pursue wholly different ends. He concludes that, when rulers transgress their bounds, the subjects have a right to defend their religion, even by the force of arms.

Originally published posthumously, in Latin, in 1695, "The Divine Feudal Law" sets forth Pufendorf's basis for the reunion of the Lutheran and Calvinist confessions. This attempt to seek a "conciliation" between the confessions complements the concept of toleration discussed in "Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion in Reference to Civil Society." In both works Pufendorf examines the proper way to secure the peaceful coexistence of different confessions in a state.Although he argued in "Of the Nature" that maintaining peace and order in the state does not require all subjects to share one belief, Pufendorf also believed that "true" Christianity was beneficial to society. For that reason he advocated a reunion of the confessions on the basis of fundamental truths that he believed were contained in the Bible, saying a conciliation should be enforced not by law but by mutual agreement of the dissenting parties. Therefore, the reunion of the confessions must be accompanied by toleration.Samuel Pufendorf (1632-1694) was one of the most important figures in early-modern political thought. An exact contemporary of Locke and Spinoza, he transformed the natural law theories of Grotius and Hobbes, developed striking ideas of toleration and of the relationship between church and state, and wrote extensive political histories and analyses of the constitution of the German empire.Theophilus Dorrington (1654-1715) was an Anglican clergyman and polemicist against Dissent.Simone Zurbuchen is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England.