divine authority
Heaven's granted right
Divine authority is power or legitimacy believed to flow from God or a supreme being.
Kings once ruled by divine authority, their right to govern coming not from citizens but from heaven.
Religious texts carry divine authority for believers—their commands binding because they originate with the divine.
The concept appears in phrases like divine right of kings and underlies claims that certain laws or institutions have sanction beyond human judgment.
- deityWorshipped supernatural being
- mandate of heavenCosmic approval for sovereignty
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- sacrednessQuality of being holy
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
scripture · holy writ · theocracy · sovereignty · cosmic order · legitimacy · shamanism · commandments · infallibility · papacy · anointing · sanctified · heavenly · throne · almighty · decree · act of God · scepter
- divinitydeity, godhood, godhead, holiness, divinity
- religious ethicsChristian ethics, moral law, love thy neighbor, sacred law, natural law
- Islamic TheocracySupreme Leader, Khomeini, Khamenei, ayatollah
- theocracytheocracy, theocrat, hierocracy, caliphate, Vatican City
- ChristologyChristology, Jesus, incarnation, Jesus Christ, Christ
- Mesopotamian mythologyAnu, Marduk, Ishtar, Tiamat, Gilgamesh
divine authoritysecular authority
Governmental power without religious basis
popular sovereignty · consent of the governed · civil authority · political authority · social contract
divine authoritypopular sovereignty
Populace holds ultimate authority
consent of the governed · delegated authority · constitutional authority · civic authority · vox populi