Religion and State Power: A Comparative Study of Islam and Christianity
Religion and State Power: A Comparative Study of Islam and Christianity Dr. Benson Omole. Introduction. The interaction between religion and political authority has significantly shaped world history, governance systems, and cultural development. Among the major global religions, Islam and Christianity have exercised profound influence on state formation, political legitimacy, and societal structures. While both traditions began as religious movements centered on divine revelation, their historical relationships with political power evolved differently. This lecture presents a comparative academic examination of Islam and Christianity in relation to state authority, exploring their origins, theological frameworks, historical developments, and modern political expressions. A. Foundational Origins and Early Political Contexts Islam: Religious and Political Formation. Islam originated in the 7th century under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad in Arabia. Unlike many religious ...