What are the roles of civil and Church leaders?

The scholar Origen believes that the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 13:1 — “for there is no authority except from God” — refer to the responsibility of authorities to impose punishments for crimes. Church leaders do not have this right — their responsibility is to teach, warn, and draw souls into communion with God. Origen says, “The worldly judge fulfills the greatest part of God’s law. For all the crimes that God wants to be punished, he has willed that they be punished not through the priests and leaders of the churches, but through the worldly judge.”⁷⁸⁸

St. John Chrysostom believes that this verse justifies a judge who is a believer in applying penalties to criminals with a clear conscience. St. John Chrysostom says, “For he is the Minister of God to you for good … by chastising the wicked, by benefiting and honoring the good, and by working together with the will of God.”⁷⁸⁹ The Christian judge has the right to forgive those who stole something from him, but he does not have the right to pardon

785 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 23 (NPNF I/11:511).

786 Origen of Alexandria, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 6–10 9.27.26 (FOTC 104:223).

787 St. Basil of Caesarea, The Morals 79:1 (FOTC 9:196).

788 Origen of Alexandria, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 6–10 9.28.2 (FOTC 104:225).

789 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 23 (NPNF I/11:512) amended.

someone who steals something from others or breaks laws. Rather, he is obliged to apply the criminal or civil law, and by doing so, he is considered a servant of God.