Abstract: In his later works, Eric Voegelin (1901-85) sharpened his attack on Christian theology as a historical enterprise: the more continuity he saw between modernity and the dogmatic corruption of philosophy soon after its birth in the classical age, the more responsibility he assigned to theology for the deformations of consciousness wrought by modern ideologies. Plato is his exemplar for a mystic maintaining the balance of consciousness despite having experienced the divine ground’s unbalancing revelation of the structure of reality and its movement beyond itself towards transfiguration. Plato elevates mythological harmony with cosmic rhythms into a reality lit up by divine transcendence. For Voegelin, the philosopher is the true guardian of revelation, while the professional theologian and dogmas obscure the luminosity of the divine ground. His critique of theology as unbalanced philosophy is assessed, leading into an initial comparison of his philosophical mysticism with the political theology of Johann Baptist Metz. 

Tuesday February 16th, 12:15pm

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