Social-Ethic Views of Polish-Lithuanian Reformer Symon Budny in Historical Retrospective

The article analyses the views of Symon Budny about the interaction between Christians and the society, revealed in his two works – «Catechism of Niasvizh» (printed in 1562) and tractate «About the magistrate, using a sword» (1583). The characteristic of Budny as a Polish-Lithuanian reformer reflects his regional not ethnic origin, because all his activity is connected with The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The author of the article shows that Budny’s view on collaboration between Christians and  the society, which appeared for the first time in Cathechism written by Budny-calvinist, did not change after Budny had become a strict antitrinitarian. Therefore, during the whole time of activity, Budny defended the thesis that Christians have the right to be soldiers, magistrates, to have servants, manors, and to participate in defensive war, based on Old Testament’s Law (Dekalog).