Sovereignty
The article presents sovereignty within the context of Christian theology, not as an abstract concept of political theory and action but as a complex historical concept which reflects how power can be generated and performatively exercised as a dynamic and relational phenomenon. It presents a politi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology
2023-08-01
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| Series: | St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/Sovereignty |
| _version_ | 1797391199618727936 |
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| author | Rebekka Klein |
| author_facet | Rebekka Klein |
| author_sort | Rebekka Klein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article presents sovereignty within the context of Christian theology, not as an abstract concept of political theory and action but as a complex historical concept which reflects how power can be generated and performatively exercised as a dynamic and relational phenomenon. It presents a politico-theological genealogy of sovereignty by examining the lines of connection between the modern politics of a free and contingent power and the Christian confession of God as free in the sense of omnipotent. From the earliest days of Christianity, God is addressed as a saving power, far superior in its action to all political, social, and religious powers. The scholastic concept of omnipotence portrays God in a dynamic and free relationship with his creation, and by this overcomes the metaphysical notion of a natural, eternal order of the social world. This opens the way for the modern idea of a sovereign political order based on freedom. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:28:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1b97a6f52c864ee38380a816f8b462ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2753-3492 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:28:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b97a6f52c864ee38380a816f8b462ab2023-12-14T16:28:40ZengSt Andrews Encyclopaedia of TheologySt Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology2753-34922023-08-01SovereigntyRebekka KleinThe article presents sovereignty within the context of Christian theology, not as an abstract concept of political theory and action but as a complex historical concept which reflects how power can be generated and performatively exercised as a dynamic and relational phenomenon. It presents a politico-theological genealogy of sovereignty by examining the lines of connection between the modern politics of a free and contingent power and the Christian confession of God as free in the sense of omnipotent. From the earliest days of Christianity, God is addressed as a saving power, far superior in its action to all political, social, and religious powers. The scholastic concept of omnipotence portrays God in a dynamic and free relationship with his creation, and by this overcomes the metaphysical notion of a natural, eternal order of the social world. This opens the way for the modern idea of a sovereign political order based on freedom.https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/Sovereigntypolitical theologydoctrine of godpowerdivine omnipotenceearly churchdivine freedomtwentieth-century philosophysufferinglaw |
| spellingShingle | Rebekka Klein Sovereignty St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology political theology doctrine of god power divine omnipotence early church divine freedom twentieth-century philosophy suffering law |
| title | Sovereignty |
| title_full | Sovereignty |
| title_fullStr | Sovereignty |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sovereignty |
| title_short | Sovereignty |
| title_sort | sovereignty |
| topic | political theology doctrine of god power divine omnipotence early church divine freedom twentieth-century philosophy suffering law |
| url | https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/Sovereignty |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rebekkaklein sovereignty |