Anarchy and the Kingdom of God
From Eschatology to Orthodox Political Theology and Back

Davor Džalto (Author)

9780823294381

Hardback, published 15 June 2021

320 pages, 5 b/w illustrations
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.6 cm, 0.648 kg

Anarchy and the Kingdom of God reclaims the concept of "anarchism" both as a political philosophy and a way of thinking of the sociopolitical sphere from a theological perspective. Through a genuinely theological approach to the issues of power, coercion, and oppression, Davor Džalto advances human freedom—one of the most prominent forces in human history—as a foundational theological principle in Christianity. That principle enables a fresh reexamination of the problems of democracy and justice in the age of global (neoliberal) capitalism.

Introduction 1
Anarchism and (Orthodox) Christianity: An (Un)Natural Alliance? 7
Part I: (Un)Orthodox Political Theologies: Histories
The Symphonia Doctrine: Introduction 27
Early Christianity: Who's Conducting "Symphonia"? 35
Divus Constantinus and Court Theology in the Eastern Empire 43
Conducting "Symphonia" in Russian Lands 67
The Modern Nation, Ethnicity, and State-Based Political Theologies 88
Newer Approaches 101
Political Theology as Ideology: A Deconstruction 112
Part II: Anarchy and the Kingdom of God: Prophecies
Alternative and "Proto-Anarchist" Political Theologies 123
Being as Freedom and Necessity 157
Something Is Rotten in This Reality of Ours 169
Eschatology and Liturgy 180
"This World" and the Individualized Mode of Existence 184
The Politics of Nothingness 190
Theology as a Critical Discourse? 204
The End and the Beginning 247
Acknowledgments 253
Notes 255
Bibliography 293
Index 309