In the previous chapter we considered the political portion of the TTP, but the main import of the work and the basis of its great influence was its theological component, particularly its views regarding the interpretation of the Bible. The close connection between political and theological considerations is to be understood in light of the political situation in post-Reformation Europe, where political conflicts were closely intertwined with confessional ones and the toleration of those who did not adhere to the established Church in a particular state was a contentious issue. In Protestant states such as the United Provinces of the Netherlands, aka the Dutch Republic, this meant that the interpretation of the Bible played an outsized role, since, in contrast with Roman Catholic states, where supreme religious authority was placed in the teachings of the Church, the Bible was regarded as the sole basis of Christian faith.