Eric Voegelin Bücher

Aktueller Anlass des Buches waren die politischen Bewegungen der 30er Jahre in Europa, insbesondere der deutsche Nationalsozialismus. Das spezifische Anliegen Voegelins bestand darin - die politische Oberfläche durchstoßend - den religiösen Wesenskern dieser Bewegungen freizulegen und im Rückblick auf die europäische Geistesgeschichte den Prozess ihres allmählichen Aufstiegs nachzuzeichnen. In einer Zeit, da mit dem Bankrott der "Idées générales" auch die politischen Religionen sich endgültig als ruinös erwiesen haben, in der aber gleichzeitig die Entwicklungen in der islamischen Welt die von Voegelin aufgezeigte enge Verbindung von Religion und Politik nachdrücklich bestätigen, gewinnt diese inzwischen in mehrere Sprachen übersetzte Studie Voegelins aus dem Jahre 1938 eine neue und bezwingende Aktualität. Neben einem neuen ausführlichen Nachwort des Herausgebers enthält die Neuauflage den Text des ursprünglichen Vorworts sowie einen bislang unveröffentlichten Brief Thomas Manns über die Politischen Religionen.

Die „geistige Krise“ der westlichen Moderne bildet den Mittelpunkt, um den das Denken Voegelins kreiste. Die Rekonstruktion der Prozesse, die in diese Krise führten und die Bestimmung ihrer geistigen Wurzeln bilden das eine große Thema seines Werkes, die Suche nach Wegen aus dieser Krise und der Entwurf einer Philosophie der Ordnung das andere. 1938, noch in Wien, hatte Voegelin in der Studie die Politischen Religionen eine erste Deutung dieser Krise vorgelegt. Ein Jahrzehnt später, inzwischen noch immer in der Emigration, folgte im Schlussteil seiner History of Political Ideas, eine zweite, weitaus präzisere Diagnose. Unter dem Titel „Die Krise“ verfolgte sie jene intellektuellen und politischen Strömungen seit der Aufklärung, die zur Zerstörung der geistigen Grundlagen der westlichen Zivilisation führten und schließlich in den totalitären Regimen des 20. Jahrhunderts ihren blutigen Höhepunkt fanden.

Spanning from the decline of the Greek Polis to Saint Augustine, this first volume of Eric Voegelin's History of Political Ideas bridges the gap between the third and fourth volumes of Order and History. Central to the work is a compelling exploration of Apostolic Christianity's political implications and the contributions of early church fathers. Voegelin's insights into Roman political philosophy and his distinctive analysis of Greek and early Roman law are particularly noteworthy. Originally conceived as a textbook for Macmillan, Voegelin aimed for an original interpretation rather than a conventional synthesis, relying on primary sources and the most advanced scholarship available. Consequently, the book expanded beyond a marketable college survey and remained unpublished until now. As he wrote, Voegelin evolved beyond the framework of a "History of Political Ideas," leading to the creation of Order and History and other mature works. This volume serves as a rich collection of materials that informed much of his later theoretical development, revealing the conceptual foundations of his thought. In examining Hellenism, Rome, and Early Christianity, Voegelin illustrates how the "spiritual disintegration" of the Hellenic world initiated a significant transition in the self-understanding of Mediterranean and European societies. His reflections address universal concerns about the order of human existence in society and hist

In "The Later Middle Ages," the third volume of his monumental "History of Political Ideas," Eric Voegelin delves into a pivotal era in political thought, illuminating key figures of the high Middle Ages. He explores the historical momentum that shaped the modern world through the core symbols of medieval civilization, centered on the aspiration for the "sacrum imperium," an order that unites the transcendent and immanent, ecclesiastical and political, divine and human. This period is marked by a "civilizational schism," where both the reality and aspiration for the "sacrum imperium" faded, leading to the dissolution of faith and reason. Voegelin's unique perspective highlights figures like William of Ockham, Dante, Giles of Rome, and Marsilius of Padua, who sought personal authority and intellectual analysis to understand the loss of this ideal. He also investigates lesser-studied aspects of the era, such as the mysticism in "Piers Plowman" and Cola di Rienzo's apocalyptic revolt, which reflect reactions to societal disintegration. However, Voegelin also identifies the emergence of the constitutional political tradition as a significant positive development, particularly in distinguishing between representative institutions and communal consciousness. His insights into the English political pattern and the German imperial zone culminate in a compelling analysis of Nicholas of Cusa, who envisioned the unity of mankind beyond f

In Part II Voegelin deals with race ideas, which he distinguishes from race theories. Race ideas, like other political ideas, form a part of political reality itself, contributing to the formation of social groups and societies. Voegelin shows that the modern race idea is just one "body idea" among others, such as the tribal state and the Kingdom of Christ, each offering a different symbolic image of community.

This volume features significant unpublished writings by Eric Voegelin from the early 1960s to the late 1970s, complementing his published works following the first three volumes of Order and History. It includes five texts: "What Is History?", "Anxiety and Reason," "The Eclipse of Reality," "The Moving Soul," and "The Beginning and the Beyond." The introduction by Thomas A. Hollweck and Paul Caringella contextualizes these writings and highlights their role in the evolution of Voegelin's thought. In "What Is History?", Voegelin explores the development of a transcendent historical structure while rejecting the idea of universal meaning in history. "Anxiety and Reason" delves into his theory of historiogenesis, linking pragmatic history with legendary events tied to the cosmic order's beginnings. "The Eclipse of Reality" critiques modernity through analyses of thinkers like Sartre and Comte. "The Moving Soul," inspired by Henry Margenau, reformulates the relationship between physics and myth. The most significant essay, "The Beginning and the Beyond," reflects on the universality of experience shaped by the tension of existence under God. These previously unpublished writings allow scholars to trace the genesis of Voegelin's concerns during a transformative period in his intellectual journey.