Many of the divisions facing Christians today include disagreements over the interpretation of Scripture. These disagreements arise not only regarding the meaning of particular biblical passages, but also involve different approaches to determining how the meaning of Scripture is discerned. Such disagreement over the interpretation of Scripture is nothing new. Insights available from past efforts to resolve disputes over interpretation can be a valuable resource for modern efforts to facil...

Early modern governments constantly faced the challenge of reconciling their own authority with the will of God. Most acknowledged that an individual's first loyalty must be to God's law, but were understandably reluctant to allow this as an excuse to challenge their own powers where interpretations differed. As such, contemporaries gave much thought to how this potentially destabilising situation could be reconciled, preserving secular authority without compromising conscience. In this bo...