State and sovereignty in Protestant philosophy: an introduction to Dutch twentieth-century debate

Abstract

Debate on the concept of state sovereignty may be conducted in light of various theories and by means of different philosophical traditions. The Protestant tradition is rarely located in such a context, particularly the Dutch Protestant tradition of the twentieth century, which strongly influenced the country and other countries of Protestant tradition in the wake of World War II. This work seeks to outline the Protestant debate on the concept of sovereignty based on the idea of “sphere sovereignty” developed by Herman Dooyeweerd, a proponent of this strain of Protestantism. To do so, it analyzes the contributions made by Dooyeweerd’s thoughts on the definition of sphere sovereignty for an understanding of state authority and its limits. A summary of his position and its context is first provided before an analysis is given of the concept of sphere sovereignty. Finally, such a context is located within the wider debate on sovereignty. The concluding argument is that Dooyeweerd’s reflections provided a concept of the rule of law opposing that of totalitarian visions, revealing his religious motives.