Political Theology II The Myth of the Closure of any Political Theology

by Schmitt, Carl; Hoelzl, Michael; Ward, Graham

• ISBN13: 9780745642536
• ISBN10: 0745642535
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-09-22
• Publisher: Polity

Summary

Political Theology II is Carl Schmitt's last book. Part polemic, part self-vindication for his involvement in the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), this is Schmitt's most theological reflection on Christianity and its concept of sovereignty following the Second Vatican Council. At a time of increasing visibility of religion in public debates and a realization that Schmitt is the major and most controversial political theorist of the twentieth century, this last book sets a new agenda for political theology today. The crisis at the beginning of the twenty-first century led to an increased interest in the study of crises in an age of extremes - an age upon which Carl Schmitt left his indelible watermark. In Political Theology II, first published in 1970, a long journey comes to an end which began in 1923 with Political Theology. This translation makes available for the first time to the English-speaking world Schmitt's understanding of Political Theology and what it implies theologically and politically.

Author Biography

Translated by Michael Hoelzl and Graham Ward

Table of Contents

Editors' Introduction

Notes on the Translation

Guideline for the reader

Introduction

The Myth of the Ultimate Theological Closure

The Content of the Myth

Hans Barion's Critique of Political Theology

The Contemporary Significance of the Myth of Closure

The Legendary Document

The Genesis and the Historical limits of the Matter

Politico-theological Interpolation: le roi regne il ne gouverne pas

The Limits of the Matter and Question from the Political Side: Monarchy

The Limits of the Matter and Question from the Theological Side: Monotheism

Eusebius as the Prototype for Political Theology

The Confrontation between Eusebius and Augustine

The Legendary Conclusion

The Claims of the Conclusion

The Assertive Power of the Conclusion

Postscript

On the Current Situation of the Problem: The Legitimacy of Modernity

Appendix: 'Peterson's conclusion and concluding footnote.'

Index

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