# Did the church pay taxes?



## YXU (May 5, 2009)

Does anyone know about the history about how church was being taxed? I am reading Calvin's letter to Sadoleto, he mentioned making financial report of the church to the magistrate. (Sorry I cannot quote it, I am not reading the English translation)


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## Hawaiian Puritan (May 5, 2009)

Not an expert on this, but I think in places where you had an "established church," such as the Church of England, or the Church of Sweden, everyone was taxed to support the church.


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## Semper Fidelis (May 5, 2009)

YXU said:


> Does anyone know about the history about how church was being taxed? I am reading Calvin's letter to Sadoleto, he mentioned making financial report of the church to the magistrate. (Sorry I cannot quote it, I am not reading the English translation)



In the Divine Right of Church Government, the ministers emphatically argue that the Church should pay taxes to the Government because the Government has the civil authority in its sphere to tax and the Church does not stand above the government in civil matters (contra Papist claims). Incidentally, in the same book, they clearly delineate the limits of governmental authority and where Church government rightfully possesses authority in its sphere.


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## Whitefield (May 5, 2009)

I may be wrong, but I was thinking that one of the reasons Henry VIII was eager to confiscate church property (e.g., monasteries, convents, etc.) was because he was not getting any revenue from them. (maybe they were taxed, he just wanted more.)


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