The purpose of this article is to study an identity of Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms and to try theological evaluation about Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms. According to this article, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms has three dimension. First, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms is the Doctrine of two kingdoms of Augustinian tradition. Luther was an Augustinian Monk. His early writings show him as an independent representative of the late medieval Augustinian renaissance. Speaking of the two Kingdoms in his early and lately writings, he takes up the two kingdoms of Augustinian tradition demonstrated by the struggle of the city of God against the city of the Devil, a conflict which rules world history until the end. Therefore, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms is the Doctrine of two kingdoms handed down by Augustinian tradition.
Second, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms is the Doctrine of two Regiments. According to Luther, God has instituted two different regiments for the delimitation and dissolution of the devil’s power: the Spiritual regiment and the worldly regiment. In the worldly regiment law, good works, reason, the punishing sword, and rewards for good deeds are valid. In the spiritual regiment of christ only grace, justification, and faith are valid. In the spiritual regiment God provides eternal salvation. In the worldly regiment human beings must care for the temporal welfare. In the worldly regiment the Sword rules, In the spiritual regiment the Word rules. Therefore, In Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms two Regiments was originated from God and the means of rules of God.
Third, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms is the Dual Doctrine of the two Kingdoms. Within the larger distinction between the regnum Dei and regnum diaboli which rules the whole of world history, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms also makes a second distinction between the saving kingdoms and the preserving kingdom of the world. Within this second distinction both kingdoms, the “kingdom of the world” and the “kingdom of christ,” are directed against the “kingdom of the devil,” but in different way. Therefore, according to Moltmann, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms is the Dual Doctrine of the two Kingdoms which integrated between the two kingdoms of Augustinian and the Doctrine of two Regiments.
Meanwhile, According to this article, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms can received two theological evaluation. At first, As a negative criticism, the consequences of this misuse of Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms theory came to expression in Gemany during the Hitler period. The doctrine provided no basis for religious and political resistance of National Socialism. Secondly, As a positive criticism, Luther’s Doctrine of the two kingdoms shows as a model of Reformation tradition to Reformers in the relationship between church and state.

• 김명배(숭실대학교) | Kim, Myung Bae