What do the Major Religions say About Submitting to the Government? 

Government and religion have had to live alongside each other from nearly the beginning of time. At least as early as the fourth millennium BCE, the concept of government has existed, and believers have been required to live under its stewardship. As a consequence, religious people have often asked questions about the degree to which they were required (or even allowed) to submit to earthly governments and mortal monarchs.

While we can only speak in generalities, it is important to realize that uniformity of belief is less common today in the various religions of the world than ever before. Therefore, it is impossible to say what all members of a given religious tradition might believe on any given subject. However, we will seek here to examine the “official” teachings of a handful of faiths, with the recognition that practitioners may or may not agree with what their tradition says on the subject of government and its potential impact on religion.

What Does Christianity Say About Submitting To The Government?

For Christians, the answer to the question of whether one should submit to an earthly government is largely dependent upon the denomination one subscribes to. Some Christians see a tension in the New Testament as to the relationship between government and religion. Jesus famously said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's” (Matthew 22:21). And the Apostle Paul counseled, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement.” (Romans 13:1-2)

In seeming contradiction to the previous two passages, in Acts Chapter 5, Peter declared, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” (5:29) While some have taken these Petrine words to suggest that one need not heed government but listen instead to God alone, it is important to note the context of Peter’s words. The chief apostle was responding to the High Priest—a religious leader, not a secular authority.

The head of the Council, the Jewish religious authorities, was asking Peter why he and the other apostles had disobeyed their orders to “not teach” in Jesus’ “name.” Peter’s retort against following “any human authority” wasn’t a reference to the secular (Roman) government of his day, but against what he saw as a corrupt Jewish leadership. Thus, Christianity’s most sacred text suggests that Christians should submit to the government, as God (according to the New Testament) is the source of secular governments. Thus, to “resist authority” that “God has appointed” is to resist God.

Now, not all Christians will agree on the degree of submission to an earthly government that is required. For example, the Amish and Jehovah’s Witnesses respect governmental authority, but they are pacifists, and they do not serve in the military, vote, serve in elected office, or pledge allegiance to a flag, country, or its leader. Generally speaking, however, most Christian denominations take the position that they should obey the secular “laws of the land,” and accept that the New Testament clearly teaches that the concept of an earthly government is something God Himself has instituted.

To the degree that a government does not seek to force a believer to act contrary to the laws of God, most Christians believe they should obey secular rules and laws. However, if pushed to break commandments, covenants, or sacramental vows, Christians largely feel that this is the point at which the laws of God would take precedence over the rules of man.

What Does Confucianism Say About Submitting To The Government?

Of all world religions, Confucianism is perhaps the one with the most pronounced doctrine regarding governance. This ancient philosophical religion places strong emphasis on order, hierarchy, and personal moral governance. Rulers are expected to be virtuous, and subjects are expected to respect the ruler’s authority. Confucius is said to have taught: “A people without confidence in its rulers will not stand.”

However, if a ruler gives the people reason to trust him, then the people should submit to the ruler—as he is believed to have the Mandate of Heaven. Ethical leadership is central to Confucian thought; without it, a nation collapses. Loyalty to government is also perceived as a virtue but, again, it is conditional on the ruler’s personal virtue and just actions. If a ruler lives or acts in unjust or immoral ways, he will lose the “Mandate of Heaven” and the country (along with its subjects) will suffer. Thus, submission to virtue is expected of leaders, and submission to virtuous leaders is expected of subjects.

What Does Hinduism Say About Submitting To The Government?

The various religious texts of Hinduism do not present a united view on this matter. As a consequence, there isn’t really an “official” Hindu view on this matter. One scriptural text states, “The king should always be observant of his own duty and should protect his subjects by righteousness” (Manusmriti 7:14).

The implication of this passage is that submission is conditional but encouraged if the ruler is just and ethical. Thus, in the Ramayana, we read, “Stand not with kinship, but with Dharma.” Interpreted, this means that righteousness outweighs one’s loyalty to corrupt rulers, even if they are family. 

Elsewhere, we read, “A king who does not protect Dharma, and who protects the wicked instead of the virtuous, causes his own destruction” (Udyoga Parva, Book 5). This verse has been used to support the removal of a corrupt ruler who has strayed from the paths of righteousness or who prevents his subjects from living out their religious dharma. Consequently, loosely speaking, Hinduism would say that rulers should be righteous, which will elicit the people’s obedience. However, if a ruler encroaches upon religious freedoms, he or she should be removed.

What Does Islam Say About Submitting To The Government?

As in Christianity, in Islam there is a general sense that earthly rulers are important. In the Qur’an, it counsels Muslims, “O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger [the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH], and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.”

One commentary on this verse explains, “All ultimate authority rests in Allah. Prophets of Allah derive their authority from Him. As Islam makes no sharp division between sacred and secular affairs, it expects governments to be imbued with righteousness. Likewise, Islam expects Muslims to respect the authority of such a government for otherwise there can be no order or discipline.” There are other passages in the Qur’an that, like Romans 13:1-2 (in the New Testament), suggest that governments were appointed by Allah—in some cases as a blessing and, in other cases, as a test for believers. (See Surah 2:247, 3:26, 28:4, 57:25)

Essentially, Islam’s position on earthly governments is that they have a place in God’s plan for the world, leaders of governments are expected to rule in righteousness, and allegiance of both believers and government officials should first and foremost be to Allah, not to man. In the rare cases where sharia law is in place (like Saudi Arabia or Iran), the meshing of government and religion is more complete. Nonetheless, even in those circumstances, the expectation is that righteousness must exist among the governed and the governors—and disobedience is only warranted if the government’s commands directly oppose Islamic teachings.

What Does Judaism Say About Submitting To The Government?

Contemporary Jewish views on government vary heavily, and those in Orthodox communities will have a different take than those in more progressive Jewish denominations. Nonetheless, in the Mishna, Jews are commanded, “Pray for the welfare of the government, for without it, people would swallow each other alive.” (Pirkei Avot 3:2)

Thus, respect for law and government is a significant principle in Judaism, especially for maintaining peace, even though moral integrity and divine law come before man’s laws. Importantly, in the Jewish canon, there are multiple examples of prophetic figures who confront political leaders in order to defend the people’s rights to live God’s higher law. (E.g., Moses vs. Pharaoh—Exo. 5-12; Nathan vs. David—2 Sam. 12; Elijah vs. Ahab—1 Kings 18; Jeremiah vs. Kings of Judah—Jer. 21-22.) Therefore, there is a strong prophetic tradition (in Judaism’s canon) of religious leaders challenging unjust rulers, and emphasizing justice and righteousness above blind obedience to the government or its laws.

What Does the Shinto Religion Say About Submitting To The Government?

This primarily Japanese religion places a strong emphasis on social harmony, respect for hierarchy, and collective well-being. Consequently, submission to government or authorities is often seen as a way to maintain peace and societal order, which aligns with the Shinto ideal. Rebellion is generally discouraged, not because Shinto teaches “blind obedience” to the government, but because disruption of social harmony is seen as spiritually and culturally undesirable and harmful.

Because (prior to WWII) the Japanese emperor was believed to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, submission to imperial authority was viewed as a kind of spiritual loyalty rather than political obedience. In the late 19^th century, and continuing until the end of WWII, Shinto was institutionalized into State Shinto, where obedience to the emperor and the state became nationalistic and a sacred duty. While modern Shinto is not political, it still values order and mutual respect, which naturally supports respectful attitudes toward governance and submission to that which is seen as providing order—namely the government and its established laws.

While there are a variety of beliefs regarding the degree to which any given religion believes that its members should be submissive to earthly authorities, it seems fair to say that the vast majority of faith traditions hold to a perspective of submission when laws and leaders are in harmony with the faith’s moral and ethical positions. However, most major religions claim that, when a government encroaches on a practitioner’s ability to live his or her faith as dictated by his or her God, then the government—not God—is the one that should be disobeyed.