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The participants gain an insight into classics of political thought in Christianity and Islam. They can relate these to the common ancient heritage and reflect critically on their significance for the current debate about the place of religion in politics.

The question of the right social order was not only a central theme of ancient philosophy, but also of the Christian and Islamic history of ideas. In an interplay between philosophy, theology, law, and social realities, both Christian and Muslim thinkers of the pre-modern era developed genuine political theories. The confrontation with the heritage of (late) antiquity, in particular with New Platonism, became formative for both strands of tradition.
The seminar will look at some selected classics from the period 400-1400 from a comparative perspective, in order to question their reception of the ancient heritage, their relationship to theology, law, and socio-political context and to make them fruitful for current challenges.
With regard to the Islamic context, the political work of the Prophet Mohammed will be analyzed first. Subsequently, original texts by al-Fārābī, al Māwardi, Nizām al Mulk, Ibn Taymiyya or Ibn Khaldun, among others, will be read and discussed using their own categories of thought.
Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, as well as Albertus Magnus and Francis of Assisi, are still influential figures in the Christian context of the chosen epoch. However, the seminar will also deal with texts from oriental Christianity.

Discussion of texts with introductory lectures. The course is designed as a reading seminar, so that independent reading of texts and active participation in the discussion of these texts during the course are prerequisites for a successful conclusion of the seminar.

Examination immanent incl. presentation and seminar paper.

For a first overview and introduction see the following references. The original texts worked on in the seminar will be announced there.
Platon, Der Staat. Stuttgart 2017.
Aristoteles, Politik. Berlin 2012.
Peter Scott / William Cavanaugh (Eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology. Malden et al. 2004.
Patricia Crone, God’s Rule. Government and Islam. New York 2004.
Michael Jon Kessler (Ed.), Political Theology for a Plural Age. New York 2012.
Elizabeth Phillips, Political Theology. A Guide for the Perplexed. New York 2012.
Adam Silverstein/ Guy Stroumsa (Eds.)The Oxford Handbook of Abrahamic Religions. Oxford 2016.

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