Towards a Biblical Theology of Satan's Kingdom

Abstract

The Reformed and Anabaptist traditions ignore each other at the best of times, yet there are genuine contributions to be gained from bringing elements of these traditions into dialogue. Perhaps the Anabaptist attention to the association of Satan with earthly kingdoms in Scripture may enrich the Reformed understanding of antithesis. In this paper, the author makes efforts towards a Biblical Theology of Satan’s kingdom by examining the instances where Satan or the Devil is associated with earthly states in the Bible. For the purpose of this paper, a state refers to refer to a socio-political organisation of human beings in a physical location structured hierarchically and characterising an inward and outward dimension. It is argued that Scripture pervasively identifies not only unbelievers but also unbelieving institutions with Satan. The paper concludes with a reflection on the relationship between churches and the State via 2 Corinthians 6:15-7:1.