John Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in a small village in southwestern England known as Wrington. In 1675, Locke traveled to France for a number of years, and when he returned to England, politics in the country had changed drastically (Connolly). Many farmers had decided to switch from growing crops to raising sheep which was a much less labor intensive approach and caused many people to lose their farms. Since farmers were moving to the city, it produced much social tension because the increased competition for jobs brought a decrease in wages. These economic and social tensions caused political tensions which could have potentially led to civil war or war with other countries.
In addition, there was also much religious tension. King Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church, and he made himself the head of the Church of England (Marmorstein). John Locke believed that the government should be more tolerant of different religions than it was at the time. He wrote A Letter Concerning Toleration in 1689, and it displayed his beliefs about the roles of churches and governments. For most of his adult life, John Locke dealt with various health issues including respiratory problems due to the poor air quality in London. His health declined rapidly, and Locke died on October 28, 1704 (Connolly).
Locke firmly believed in a separation of church and state. In his lifetime, the king was trying to dictate what everyone’s religion ought to be. Locke argued that the “magistrate” only has administration over civil interests such as health, life, and liberty, and the ownership of outward possession such as money, land, and houses, and he can have no say in the “Care of Souls” (Locke 26). Locke supplied three reasons for this statement. Firstly, because the government’s power includes only an outward impact whereas authentic religion relies on a persuasion of the mind (Locke 27). Secondly, the authority does not have any more right to the care of souls than any other man. Lastly, the leader cannot bring true salvation to men by enforcing laws and penalties (Locke 27).
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Another point that Locke addresses in his letter is the fact that the government cannot “repair” someone’s loss if that person follows the wrong path in life. Some choices can be considered irreparable. A magistrate may bear the ability to restore someone of a lost possession, but he cannot do anything to change where a person will reside in the life to come (Locke 36). In other words, the magistrate may be able to help with physical problems but cannot help with spiritual ones.
Locke emphasizes that religion cannot be forced on anyone. The government cannot demand its people to follow a specific religion because it is empty. Locke expresses that no religion that one deems untrue will ever save that person. He says, “I cannot be saved by a Religion that I distrust, and by a Worship that I abhor” and “no Religion, which I believe not to be true, can be either true, or profitable unto me. In vain therefore do Princes compel their Subjects to come into their Church-communion, under Pretence of saving their Souls.”(capitalization in original text) (Locke 38).
John Locke brings to light that the only reason leaders attempt to control what religion their people believe in is because he is afraid of other churches. Of course, he would not be fearful of his own church because he is supportive of it. On the other hand, he would be apprehensive of other churches because he is brutal and harsh towards them (Locke 52). Locke ends his letter with a seemingly simple conclusion. He states, “If each of them (meaning the Church and the Magistrate) would contain itself within its own Bounds, the one attending to the worldly Welfare of the Commonwealth, the other to the Salvation of Souls, it is impossible that any Discord should have happened between them.” (Locke 55).
I found the book to be insightful and well thought out. I believe that John Locke was very passionate about this subject, and that is clearly seen in his letter. The book impacts government in the fact that it should help keep the government in check. It is a good reminder of where the bounds of leadership should reach and where they should stop.
Works Cited
- Connolly, Patrick J. “John Locke (1632—1704).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm.edu/locke/.
- Marmorstein, Art. “England in the 16th and 17th Centuries.” Flooding in South Dakota, www3.northern.edu/marmorsa/delinednotes17thcentengland.htm.
- Locke, John, and James Tully. A Letter Concerning Toleration Humbly Submitted. Hackett Publishing Company, 1983.
