Temporal power

Temporal power is a term of art in medieval and early modern political philosophy to refer to worldly power, as contrasted with spiritual power.

The difference between them is that one is that of the Church (or religious leaders and sacerdots in general like the Dalai Lama) and the other that of "kings and queens" (and more recently presidents and prime-ministers).

Spiritual power is that which is "born" from a religious belief, so that the Pope, priests, pastors and all spiritual leaders exercise, to a greater or lesser degree, such power. It relates "to another life" and to subjective issues.

Temporal power, on the other hand, is political power over the common things in life: the control of natural resources, the possession of land and the control of armies. Historically, the holders of spiritual power and temporal power were often confused. Despite the idea of temporal and spiritual powers exist since the Middle Ages, only in the end of the 18th century and during the 19th century that the idea of separation of Church and State started to be implemented.

• The temporal power (simply), the state (polity) or secular authority, in contrast to the Church or spiritual authority

• Temporal power (Papal), the worldly power exercised by the Roman Pontiff