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.

The series will publish all of philosopher Voegelin's (1901-1985) works, including the previously unpublished, multi-volume History of Political Ideas, of which this is the second volume. Completed in 1944, it is not a conventional chronological account but an original comprehensive account of the political thought and experiential underpinnings that typified the medieval period. A survey of the structure of the period is followed by analysis of the Germanic invasions, the fall of Rome, and the rise of empire and monastic Christianity, climaxing in a study of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This third volume of Order and History together with its companion volume, The World of the Polis, completes the study of Greek culture from its earliest pre-Hellenic origins to its full maturity with the dominance of Athens. As its title indicates, it is principally devoted to the work of the two great thinkers who represent the high point of philosophic inquiry among the Greeks.

This concise classic is the most accessible work in the canon of one of the 20th century's greatest political scientists. Eric Voegelin here contends that certain modern movements, including Positivism, Hegelianism, Marxism, and the "God is Dead" movement, are variants of the Gnostic tradition of antiquity. Highly provocative, this book is essential reading for students of modern politics, philosophy, and religion. Hailed by the "American Political Science Review" as "one of the most distinguished interpreters to Americans of the non-liberal streams of European thought," Professor Voegelin was director of the Institute for Political Science at the University of Munich as well as professor of political science and lecturer at numerous universities in the United States and Europe. With a new introduction by Ellis Sandoz, professor of political science at Lousiana State University and director of the Eric Voegelin Institute for American Renasissance Studies.

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

This volume brings together Eric Voegelin's three significant works: Political Religions, The New Science of Politics, and Science, Politics, and Gnosticism. Political Religions, published in 1938, marked Voegelin's emigration from Austria, while The New Science of Politics, written in 1952, solidified his reputation in American political philosophy. Science, Politics, and Gnosticism, presented as his Inaugural Lecture in 1958 at the University of Munich, introduced him to the West German intellectual community. Despite being written during different historical periods, all three works analyze modern Western civilization's loss of spiritual foundations and the challenges posed by various ideologies. Voegelin critiques a "modernity without restraint," characterized by Hegelian, Marxian, Nietzschean, and other German influences. He contrasts this with the Western meaning derived from ancient Greece, Rome, Israel, and Christianity, evolving through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and Anglo-American political thought. This collection examines the intellectual and spiritual complexities of modernity, tracing its development from ancient civilizations to the twentieth century. In a substantial new introduction, Manfred Henningsen discusses the experiential background that shaped Voegelin's analyses and highlights the renewed relevance of his work following the collapse of state socialism in Eastern Europe. This volume is a signifi