People flourish together. That is the animating conviction behind this edition of Mere Orthodoxy. Because it is not good for us to be alone, it follows that we must needs be bound to one another in relationships of love, mutuality, and honor. This insight is inextricably bound up with a Christian conception of politics and nations. You can find Augustine reflecting in the opening pages of his Confessions on the ways in which human beings are contingent, unable to secure their own existence in the world apart from the help of others. The reformed jurist Johannes Althusius makes a similar claim, noting that the only way people can live in the world is through cooperation, mutual giving, and sacrifice. Politics, he argues, is the art of ordering those relationships so they can be mutually delightful and healthy.
Login to read more
Sign in or create a free account to access Subscriber-only content.
Topics:
