Montserrat Herrero – författare

This pioneering volume reconstructs a dialogue between three of the twentieth century’s most influential German intellectuals – Carl Schmitt, Erik Peterson and Ernst H. Kantorowicz – on the nature and scope of political theology.Beyond a biographical study, Monsterrat Herrero investigates the theoretical themes that link these three figures’ key texts. Through close textual analysis, she traces how, in 1922, Schmitt outlined a methodological idea that Peterson developed in almost all his writings from 1931 onwards, and which would shape the historical research of Kantorowicz from 1946. This and other such instances reveal the overlooked conversation at play between the three thinkers. And Herrero argues that the web of influence does not stop there, as she claims that these early writings nurtured a myriad of interpretations which have turned political theology into the kaleidoscopic discipline it is today. The dialogue that is revealed between these three intellectuals – a legal theorist, a theologian and a medieval historian – largely centres on issues where the political and the sacred intersect, in particular: political bodies, acclamations, martyrs and the arcana. Probing Schmitt’s, Peterson’s and Kantorowicz’s differing viewpoints, Herrero further demonstrates the striking relevance of many of these debates to contemporary concerns, from the relation between churches and states to political legitimation. An essential resource for all those interested in political theology and the history of political ideas, Herrero’s book breaks new ground in more ways than one. It examines these three prominent thinkers together for the first time, introduces Anglophone readers to Peterson’s largely untranslated work and constitutes a fundamental step in tracing the unique genealogy of political theology.

The book addresses the question of the extent to which theological discourse has been and is relevant to the origins of the meanings, symbols, and realities of some instituted political practices. This relevance has historically manifested itself in the hybridisation of theological and political concepts, images, gestures, and rituals. Indeed, some divine traces could be seen as embedded in institutionalised political practices. Theopolitical figures, then, are other names for God - in the sense of negative theology - that we find in instituted practices within the political realm. The book considers five theopolitical figures: scripture, prophecy, oath, charisma, and hospitality. In the symbolic meaning of these figures, we discern some central questions for contemporary societies, among them: the unconditional character of justice, the unfeasibility of historical expectation, the stability of the given word, the idea of power as a gift, and openness to the coming other as an ethical-political imperative.

Examines the meaning of five theopolitical figures scripture, prophecy, oath, charisma and hospitality in contemporary philosophical-political discourseRe-inscribes contemporary political concepts and experiences in the 'theological locus' from which they supposedly come and at the same time looks for new semantic derivations for the political arenaEngages with various 20th century continental philosophers, including Walter Benjamin, Jacques Derrida, Jean-Louis Chr tien, Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, Jean-Luc Nancy, John Caputo, Jean Luc Marion among othersBrings into dialogue discussions of theological literature and historyCombines philosophical reflection with case studies of the political interpretation of the Bible; the Lisbon earthquake of 1755; the transferences between oath and sacrament in early Christianity; and acclamations from the imperial cult to modern autocraciesConsiders different theological traditions of thought, mainly, Christian and JewishThis book explores the extent to which theological discourse has been, and continues to be, relevant in shaping the meanings, symbols and realities of certain instituted political practices. This relevance has historically manifested itself in the hybridisation of theological and political concepts, images, gestures, and rituals.Combining theological and political concepts, Herrero shows that some divine traces could be embedded in institutionalised political practices. She argues that these theopolitical figures scripture, prophecy, oath, charisma and hospitality should be read negatively as other names of God, in the sense of a negative theology, in the post-secular world. By analysing the symbolic meaning of these figures, Theopolitical Figures sheds new light on crucial questions for contemporary societies, such as the unconditional character of justice, the unfeasibility of historical expectation, the stability of the word, the idea of power as a gift, and openness to otherness as an ethical-political imperative.

Carl Schmitt is a key figure in modern political thought, but discussion of his work often focuses upon specific elements or themes within his texts. This book provides a wide-ranging discussion of Carl Schmitt’s discourse and provides a new perspective on his contribution, presenting the idea of Nomos of the Earth as the key idea that organizes his political and legal discourseThis book creates a ‘reverse genealogy’ of Schmitt’s theoretical system, starting from his legal and political concept of nomos so as to reconstruct his understanding of order. It connects the different topics the Carl Schmitt developed along his intellectual trajectory, which have generally been approached in separate ways by scholars: the legal theory, the concept of the political, the theory of international relations and political theology. The text considers the whole of Carl Schmitt’s work including writings that have been previously unknown to the English speaking academy; old journals with just three or four pages, newspaper articles, manuscripts of conferences, and Festschrifts.Itprovides a balanced examination of the whole complex of Carl Schmitt’s political discourse.

Carl Schmitt is a key figure in modern political thought, but discussion of his work often focuses upon specific elements or themes within his texts. This book provides a wide-ranging discussion of Carl Schmitt’s discourse and provides a new perspective on his contribution, presenting the idea of Nomos of the Earth as the key idea that organizes his political and legal discourseThis book creates a ‘reverse genealogy’ of Schmitt’s theoretical system, starting from his legal and political concept of nomos so as to reconstruct his understanding of order. It connects the different topics the Carl Schmitt developed along his intellectual trajectory, which have generally been approached in separate ways by scholars: the legal theory, the concept of the political, the theory of international relations and political theology. The text considers the whole of Carl Schmitt’s work including writings that have been previously unknown to the English speaking academy; old journals with just three or four pages, newspaper articles, manuscripts of conferences, and Festschrifts.Itprovides a balanced examination of the whole complex of Carl Schmitt’s political discourse.