Notions of finding justice have changed over the centuries.
A figure of justice atop London’s Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey. PICTURE: Dun.can (licensed under CC BY 2.0)
You would have heard of duels – where men in dispute about the truth, would challenge another to a duel.
Likewise judges would sentence people to ordeals. That is, someone accused of a crime would be tossed into the river. If they drowned, they were obviously guilty.
There was a logic behind it. God protected the innocent – and punished the guilty. Win the duel, you were obviously telling the truth.
With the development of church law, thinking began to change. Previously laws were seen to be based on the authority of the king, a temporal thing. But church law was based on God; eternal.
Now truth was established with evidence and witnesses, who confirmed a man’s actions, rather than surviving an ordeal. Truth was not relative, but absolute!
Fascinating!
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
