Royal Moral Influence: Configuring Christ's Kingship and Christian Morality through Mèngzǐ 孟子and Aquinas

This article develops a comparative account of Christ's kingship in order to articulate this doctrine's relevance for the contemporary context. Drawing upon the political philosophy of the early Confucian Mengzi and Aquinas' reading of Christ's headship, I suggest that Christ's kingship be understood in terms of royal moral influence, meaning that Christ the King is the unique ground of the Christian moral life.