Religion and the origins of the modern State

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the meanings and articulations linking religion to the formation of the modern state, between the XVI and XVIII centuries, a historic period underscored by the reformation and the French Revolution. Three fundamental questions regarding the meaningful links between religion and the modern state are addressed: a) Why did religion and the modern form meaningful connections from outset? B) Up to what point did religious and political principles conflict during formation of the modern state? C) How did some religious principles and practices lead to the formation and consolidation of the modern state?