Tractatus de civili dominio

The Tractatus de civili dominio is a political treatise by John Wycliffe, an English theologian and church reformer. In this work, Wycliffe argued that true dominion, or authority, comes directly from God. He posited that individuals in a state of mortal sin only held dominion in appearance, as true dominion belonged to the righteous.

Wycliffe extended this idea to the church, asserting that because it had become sinful, it should relinquish its worldly possessions and return to a state of evangelical poverty. He believed the state, particularly the king, should carry out this disendowment. These theories, while complex, positioned Wycliffe as a critic of the church's wealth and power, influencing later reform movements.12