The Political Theology of Schelling
Saitya Brata Das rigorously examines the theologico-political works of F. W. J. von Schelling and sets his thought against Hegel's more dominant approach. He argues that Schelling inaugurates a new thinking outside of Occidental metaphysics, by a paradoxical manner of exit, which prepares for the post-metaphysical philosophy of Martin Heidegger, Franz Rosenzweig and Jacques Derrida.
This new reflection, outside of the Universal world-historical politics of modernity, is achieved by re-thinking religion as eschatology. Intervening in contemporary debates on post-secularism and the return to religion, Das shows that religion, in an essential sense, always opens up infinitude from the heart of finitude, to an irreducible outside of the profane order of worldly hegemonies. Religion here assumes a negative political theology of exception without sovereign power.
Acknowledgments
Preface by Gérard Bensussan
Introduction
1. Actuality without Potentiality
2. The Rhythm of History
3. The Beatific Life
4. The Irreducible Remainder
5. The Non-Sovereign Exception
6. The Tragic Dissonance
Bibliography
Index
This important book represents a sea-change in our understanding of Schelling. Das shows how Schelling’s positive philosophy is already part of Schelling’s thought from early on, and his interpretation develops Schelling’s "actuality without potentiality" in the context of modern and contemporary political theology. A major achievement!
