Endowed professor and Dominican friar Richard Steenvoorde published his new book: ‘The Experiment of the Coming Kingdom, A Political Theology of Religious Life after Agamben’. A slight adaptation of the PhD dissertation that he finished in 2023, his book offers a timely exploration of the intersection between faith and law.
Giorgio Agamben's exploration in the Homo Sacer series is a profound re-evaluation of the intricate relationship between human beings and the realm of laws, regulations, and political institutions. Agamben's interest in religious life was piqued by the historical discussions concerning how religious communities interacted with (canon) law, aiming to identify strategies applicable in our contemporary context to establish a new connection between humanity and the law.
Alignment of the Dominican tradition with Agamben's vision of law serving a higher mission
This study explores the intricacies of Dominican religious life, aiming to embody a messianic hope for God's kingdom. It explores the human capacity for freedom and discipleship as a unique divine vocation. Furthermore, it notices an alignment of the Dominican tradition with Agamben's vision of law serving a higher mission. Finally, it suggests that the Dominican life presents an experimental prefiguration of harmonious coexistence of law and freedom, offering a potential unity between the two elements in the context of the coming kingdom.
The book is taken up in the Louvain Monographs in Theology and Religious Studies series, which aims to provide those involved in research in theology and religious studies throughout the world with monographs inspired by Louvain’s long tradition of theological excellence within the Roman Catholic tradition. The volumes selected for publication in the series are subjected to peer review by an editorial board and international scholars, and are expected to express some of today’s finest reflection on current theology and religious studies.
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Endowed Professor in Christian Philosophy Richard Steenvoorde received his PhD in law (2008) and in theology (2023). In a one-day-a-week appointment, Steenvoorde will conduct teaching and research on the topic of ‘Worldview: A philosophy of living faithfully in the world’.
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The book is available through various retailers, including Uitgeverij Peeters Publishers.
For more information or press requests, contact Eddie Adelmund at adelmund@esphil.eur.nl.
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