Johnson, Terry L.
A Tale of Two Governments asks 'what does church discipline have to do with the separation of church and state?' At first glance, they seem like a strange combination: one, a relatively obscure church procedure, and the other, a hotly contested legal and political issue.
But they have been forced together as a growing number of churches find themselves in court. Behind these court cases is an almost forgotten history of the relationship between church and state. The story is an important one for every American who cares about religious freedom, and for every Christian who cares about the integrity of the church.
Table of Contents:
Foreword by John MacArthur
Part 1: Two Thousand Years of Church and State
1. The Theology of Church and State
2. Church and State from Augustine to the Reformation
3. The Reformation of Church and State
4. Church and State in the Scottish and English Reformations
5. Church and State in America: The Reformation Heritage
Part 2: The Law of Church and State Today
6. The Legal Outworking
7. What Does ‘Church Autonomy Doctrine’ Protect?
8. The Limits of Autonomy
Part 3: A Primer on Keeping Your Church Out of Court
9. The Church as a Government
10. Discipline in Church History
11. Practical Steps for Protection
12. Conclusion
Appendix: Resources for Further Study