John of Salisbury John of Salisbury (born c. 1120; died c. 1180)
built upon a logical extension of the work of St. Augustine when
it is applied explicitly to the relationship between politics
and religion. While St. Augustine’s work was more of an abstract
defense of Christianity and an imagining of what an ideal
society would look like, John of Salisbury argued directly for
the supremacy of ecclesiastical power over temporal powers. In
The Statesman's Book, John of Salisbury argued for the divine
right of kings: In this manner, John of Salisbury argued that
what is just is defined by the will of the Prince, because not
only is the Prince’s authority derived from God, but he is
subject only to God, and is God’s representative on Earth.
Despite this, John of Salisbury does put forth one independent
measure with which a ruler can be judged. He says that a tyrant
is a ruler that forces his subjects away from God, whereas a
Prince is one that brings his subjects closer to God.