According to a commonplace narrative; the rise of modern political thought in the West resulted from secularization―the exclusion of religious arguments from political discourse. But in this pathbreaking work; Eric Nelson argues that this familiar story is wrong. Instead; he contends; political thought in early-modern Europe became less; not more; secular with time; and it was the Christian encounter with Hebrew sources that provoked this radical transformation.During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; Christian scholars began to regard the Hebrew Bible as a political constitution designed by God for the children of Israel. Newly available rabbinic materials became authoritative guides to the institutions and practices of the perfect republic. This thinking resulted in a sweeping reorientation of political commitments. In the book’s central chapters; Nelson identifies three transformative claims introduced into European political theory by the Hebrew revival: the argument that republics are the only legitimate regimes; the idea that the state should coercively maintain an egalitarian distribution of property; and the belief that a godly republic would tolerate religious diversity. One major consequence of Nelson’s work is that the revolutionary politics of John Milton; James Harrington; and Thomas Hobbes appear in a brand-new light.Nelson demonstrates that central features of modern political thought emerged from an attempt to emulate a constitution designed by God. This paradox; a reminder that while we may live in a secular age; we owe our politics to an age of religious fervor; in turn illuminates fault lines in contemporary political discourse.
#1166664 in Books Belknap Press 2013-01-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.50 x 6.50l; 1.75 #File Name: 0674049616432 pages
Review
27 of 32 people found the following review helpful. A controversial popeBy Paul GelmanPius the Twelfth is considered one of the most controversial popes who had ever sat on the Vatican's throne. The main reason is because of the ongoing debate regarding the pope's silence or indifference to the plight of the Jews and other victims during WW2.According to this new book by Robert Ventresca; the pope was not indifferent or silent about the Holocaust. He did whatever he could and the proof for this is in the many ackowledgements he got after the war by various central Jewsih figures; among them the Chieff Rabbi of Jerusalem. Second; this was the way Pius worked and was trained to; while delegating much authority to his many nuncios in the various occupied countries in the war.This very well and deeply researched biography is extremely interesting and it discusses in great detail the pope's education and his views viv-a-vis Fascism and Communism-the two evils which concerned Pius.Although Ventresca makes many efforts to present the pope as a benevolent one when discussing at great length the pope's efforts to save many thousands of Jews; one feels that even Ventresca isn't quite convinced about this issue.All in all; this is a fascinating read and highly recommended.8 of 11 people found the following review helpful. A quality biography that treat Pius XII as a complete personBy Michael B. LamotheVentresca has written the best biography of Pius XII yet available. He treats the whole person. Pius is placed within the context of a Catholic Church which was extremely rigid and rife with anti-Judaism as opposed to anti-semitism. Pius was himself anti-Judaism but Ventresca makes a good case that he was not anti-semitic. He gives Pius wide latitude in his approach to the Nazis and Fascists but makes a judgment that Pius carried his silence too far to be considered even handed in his approach to the belligerents of World War II. At the same time he notes the irony of Pius' aggressive approach toward the Stalinist regime but notes the church had little in the way of infrastructure in Russia. This book makes the most complete use of sources now available including the documents and testimony compiled for Pius' cause for sainthood. Until more Vatican archives are opened to the public this will be the source one will turn to if not interested in polemics for or against Pope Pius XII6 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Definitive biography of Pius XIIBy G. M. SeelyThe biography is solidly researched; written with good fluency; and does much to put Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli) in a proper light. A much maligned Pontiff emerges from this study as a saintly; most able Pope.
