Question 93 · How Christians lived

Could a Christian swear an oath or hold public office?

What the sources show

Justin Martyr c. 155 · Tertullian c. 200 · Origen of Alexandria c. 248Refuse

Justin quotes "do not swear at all". Tertullian thought holding Roman office almost impossible without idolatry or bloodshed, and Origen said Christians govern the Church instead of the city. ¹²³

Westminster Assembly 1646 · Swiss Brethren (Anabaptist) 1527

After Constantine, Christians held office and took oaths; the Reformed confessions call both lawful, while Anabaptists and Quakers kept the early refusal. ⁴⁵⁶

The answers given:

ApostolicBefore NicaeaNicaea and afterMiddle AgesReformation to today

Scroll through the centuries, or tap a dot. J K move between witnesses.

Before Nicaea

150–325

155c. AD

Refuse

Justin Martyr c. 100–c. 165 ADFirst Apology 16.5

About not swearing at all, but always speaking the truth, he commanded: "Do not swear at all; let your yes be yes and your no no; anything more comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:34–37).

Refusing the oath by the emperor's genius was also a mark of Christians at trial.

Full English of this work is being translated

200c. AD

Refuse

Tertullian c. 155–c. 220 ADOn Idolatry 17.3

Let us grant that someone may hold an office in name only, so long as he does not sacrifice nor lend his authority to sacrifices, does not contract for victims, does not delegate the care of temples, does not manage their revenues, does not give shows ... does not swear; and further, in matters of power, does not judge anyone's life or honor (money matters you may allow), does not condemn, does not bind, imprison or torture anyone, if one can believe this possible.

Roman office was bound up with pagan sacrifice and the power of the sword.

Full English of this work is being translated

248c. AD

Refuse

Origen of Alexandria c. 185–c. 254 ADAgainst Celsus 8.75

Celsus urges us to take office in our country, if that is needed for the safety of the laws and of piety. But we know that in each city there is another country, founded by the Word of God, and we call those able in word and sound in life to govern churches. ... Those who govern well among us are compelled by the great King.

Christians served the city by leading the Church instead.

Full English of this work is being translated

Reformation

1500–1700

1527AD

Refuse

Swiss Brethren (Anabaptist)Schleitheim Confession Article 6

Finally it will be observed that it is not appropriate for a Christian to serve as a magistrate because of these points: The government magistracy is according to the flesh, but the Christian's is according to the Spirit.

Article 6, on the sword: the magistrate's office belongs to the order of the flesh, outside the perfection of Christ.

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1527AD

Refuse

Swiss Brethren (Anabaptist)Schleitheim Confession Article 7

Christ, who teaches the perfection of the Law, prohibits all swearing to His followers, whether true or false, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by our head, and that for the reason He shortly thereafter gives, For you are not able to make one hair white or black.

Article 7, on the oath: the Anabaptist answer takes Christ's 'do not swear at all' (Matthew 5:34) as a standing prohibition. The English follows the long reprinted Schleitheim text, as elsewhere on this site.

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1646AD

Lawful

Westminster AssemblyWestminster Confession of Faith 23.2

It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto.

The same confession calls a lawful oath "a part of religious worship" (22.1). Anabaptists and Quakers kept the refusal of oaths.

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Witnesses not in the library yet

These writers also matter for this question. Their texts will join the timeline above once they are translated.

410
Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 180
Swearing is not forbidden as sin, but to be avoided.

How this page was made

Every early quote was read in its Greek or Latin and translated for this page by Claude (Opus 5.5) on 13 October 2026. Each line names the printed edition it was read from. A quote marked indirect does not state the answer outright; read its note. A writer's silence is never counted as an answer.