La bible dans la cite: vision politique et consentement du peuple chez Jean de Paris

Abstract

Focused on the analysis of the Treaty De potestate regia et papali by John of Paris, this study is an attempt to seize the political vision of this French Dominican, who lived from the second half of the 13th century to the beginning of the 14th century, within the theological context shaped by the controversy between Philip IV of France and Boniface VIII. The method adopted in this article supposes, on one hand, the investigation of the political thought of John of Paris, taking as a starting point the relations between the Papacy and the royal power; and, on the other hand, the definition of the role attributed by the former to the popular masses and to the notion of political consent. Whether it is the consent regarding taxation, the popular support accorded to the royal power, or the opinion of the College of Cardinals concerning the deposition of a Pope, we notice that, according to the French Dominican, the actions that trigger the public good must be approved by the community. Since the focal point of our study is the treatise De potestate regia et papali, we have chosen to invoke oftentimes the biblical references used by John of Paris, in order to observe the hermeneutical differences present in the writings of Giles of Rome and Henry of Cremona, authors who, even though they interpret the same texts, would eventually reach the contrary conclusions.