Between the Cross and Power: Sphere Sovereignty, Liberty of Conscience, and the Public Presence of Faith in the Reformed Baptist Tradition

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between Christian faith, political authority, and religious freedom through a critical dialogue among John Calvin, Abraham Kuyper, and the Baptist tradition. Its central argument holds that the public presence of Christian faith can be affirmed and limited at the same time: affirmed, because religious conviction produces social, ethical, and political responsibilities; limited, because the Church must not convert its spiritual mission into dominion over the State, nor use civil coercion to produce religious adherence. The study adopts a bibliographical, historical-conceptual, and comparative methodology, distinguishing the contexts of the sixteenth-century Reformation, modern pluralization, and the formation of Baptist communities. It argues that the Calvinist doctrine of the two governments, Kuyper’s sphere sovereignty, and the Baptist emphasis on liberty of conscience constitute distinct yet articulable theoretical resources for thinking about a non-dominating Christian presence in the public sphere. In conclusion, the article applies this synthesis to the Brazilian context, marked by religious pluralism, partisan polarization, and disputes over secularism, defending a Christian participation oriented by service, democratic responsibility, prophetic criticism of power, and the consistent defense of religious freedom for all.