Abstract
This chapter serves as the introduction to this edited volume. It makes an argument in favour of transcending the secular/post-secular dichotomy that is currently plaguing the study of religion in world politics by turning attention to an engagement with theological modes of thought that take faith-based arguments and traditions seriously. Recognising the complex and ambiguous interconnections between politics and theology, the chapter offers an outline of the contributing chapters to this volume and emphasises the interdisciplinary nature of the collection, including political theorists, philosophers, historians, and International Relations (IR) scholars. It thus not only argues for but also practices a genuinely pluralistic and cross-disciplinary approach to the study of the relation between theology and world politics.
This is a significantly revised version of an editorial introduction to a 2019 Special Issue on ‘Political Theologies of the International—the continued relevance of theology in international relations’, Journal of International Relations and Development, 22(2): 269–277. Thanks to Springer Nature for the kind permission to republish parts of that introduction here.
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Paipais, V. (2020). Introduction: Religion or Theology? (Re)introducing Political Theology into the Study of World Politics. In: Paipais, V. (eds) Theology and World Politics. International Political Theory. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37602-4_1
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