Political Theology and Theocracy: Walking the Fine Line between the Profane and the Messianic

In the field of philosophy and social and human sciences, it is currently generally accepted that the processes of secularization Western societies seemed to undergo following a linear trend not only display considerable differences, but appear to be questioned altogether by the resurgence of interest and importance of religious phenomena. In brief, to quote Habermas, we live in ‘post-secular’ societies – and any discourse ignoring the religious elements underpinning political philosophy, actions, and language would fall short of understanding the complexity of the socio-political and intellectual world we live in.

This workshop brings together scholars to think about the persisting relevance and challenges of the constellation between the profane and the messianic with a focus on 19th- and 20th-century continental debates on political theology. 

Keynote lecture: Rainer Ernst Zimmermann (Munich)