Christian Realism and the State as Idol: Feminist and Postcolonial Critique and Christian Realist Theology in an Interdependent World

At a time of outspoken nationalism, Christian realism accurately diagnoses idolatry of the state as a political and theological problem. The power of sovereign states protects self-determination but can allow states to unjustly oppress members of minority groups. From a Christian realist perspective...

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Détails bibliographiques
Auteur principal: Alexander, Laura E. (Auteur)
Type de support: Électronique Article
Langue:Anglais
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Publié: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group 2021
Dans: Political theology
Année: 2021, Volume: 22, Numéro: 8, Pages: 680-698
Sujets / Chaînes de mots-clés standardisés:B Théorie de l'État / Christianisme / Réalisme
Classifications IxTheo:CG Christianisme et politique
Sujets non-standardisés:B feminist thought
B State Sovereignty
B grassroots
B Christian realism
B Relationality
B postcolonial thought
B Idolatry
Accès en ligne: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Résumé:At a time of outspoken nationalism, Christian realism accurately diagnoses idolatry of the state as a political and theological problem. The power of sovereign states protects self-determination but can allow states to unjustly oppress members of minority groups. From a Christian realist perspective, states’ power relative to other institutions can encourage religious idolatry, with citizens devoting their ultimate loyalty to a state. To mitigate this problem, Christian realism argues for recognition of states’ limitations. However, Christian realism itself remains beholden to a notion of states' sovereign agency rooted in an incomplete picture of human nature. Recent feminist and postcolonial scholarship on human relationality shows how state sovereignty and agency are modified by relationships within networks of local, national, and global institutions. This analysis enriches Christian realist critiques of idolatry of the state. It argues for recognition of the role of grassroots communities and enhanced cooperation among states and other institutions.
ISSN:1743-1719
Contient:Enthalten in: Political theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/1462317X.2021.1893958