Political Affections: Civic Participation and Moral Theology (Oxford Studies in Theological Ethics)

What is the nature of affections such as joy, compassion, sorrow, and shame and what role do they play in politics? While political experience is replete with affectivity, the affective dimension of political experience has typically been under-conceptualised in political theory. Joshua Hordern argues that Christian political theology and contemporary theory of emotions have resources to respond to this challenge and, in so doing, to offer diagnoses and remedies for the political alienation and democratic deficit which trouble contemporary political life. Hordern contends that affections have a cognitive aptitude whereby they become enduring features of shared political reasoning. In conversation with Martha Nussbaum, Jurgen Habermas, Roger Scruton, Oliver O'Donovan and other political thinkers both classical and contemporary, his argument interrelates affections with memory, moral order, death, suffering, virtue, neuroscience, familial life and national identity. In contrast to dualisms which would separate reason from affection and theology from politics, Hordern describes the way that affections' role in politics is shaped by the eschatological commitments of political thought. Through close attention to Deuteronomy, Luke and Acts, Hordern considers the role of affections in institutions of political representation, law and healthcare. Over against post-national visions which underplay locality in human identity, the account of political affectivity which emerges suggests that civic participation, critical patriotic loyalties, social trust and international concern will be primarily galvanised by the renewal of local affections through effective political representation. Moreover, churches, shaped by the affective vision of their Scriptures, are to embody the joyful, hopeful affective life of the Kingdom of God and thereby offer renewal to social and political experience at local, national and international levels. What is the nature of affections such as joy, compassion, sorrow, and shame and what role do they play in politics? While political experience is replete with affectivity, the affective dimension of political experience has typically been under-conceptualised in political theory. Joshua Hordern argues that Christian political theology and contemporary theory of emotions have resources to respond to this challenge and, in so doing, to offer diagnoses and remedies for the political alienation and democratic deficit which trouble contemporary political life. Hordern contends that affections have a cognitive aptitude whereby they become enduring features of shared political reasoning. In conversation with Martha Nussbaum, Jürgen Habermas, Roger Scruton, Oliver O'Donovan and other political thinkers both classical and contemporary, his argument interrelates affections with memory, moral order, death, suffering, virtue, neuroscience, familial life and national identity. In contrast to dualisms which would separate reason from affection and theology from politics, Hordern describes the way that affections'role in politics is shaped by the eschatological commitments of political thought. Through close attention to Deuteronomy, Luke and Acts, Hordern considers the role of affections in institutions of political representation, law and healthcare. Over against post-national visions which underplay locality in human identity, the account of political affectivity which emerges suggests that civic participation, critical patriotic loyalties, social trust and international concern will be primarily galvanised by the renewal of local affections through effective political representation. Moreover, churches, shaped by the affective vision of their Scriptures, are to embody the joyful, hopeful affective life of the Kingdom of God and thereby offer renewal to social and political experience at local, national and international levels. While political experience is clearly replete with affectivity, the affective dimension of politics has typically been under-conceptualised in political theory. This book considers the nature of affections such as joy, compassion, sorrow, and shame and the role they play in politics, arguing that affections have a cognitive aptitude whereby they become enduring features of shared political reasoning. The central claim is that Christian political theology and contemporary theory of emotions can shed light on these questions and, in so doing, analyse the democratic deficit which troubles contemporary political life. In conversation with Martha Nussbaum, Jürgen Habermas, Roger Scruton, Oliver O'Donovan, and other political thinkers both classical and contemporary, the book interrelates affections with memory, moral order, death, suffering, virtue, neuroscience, familial life, national identity, and constitutional patriotism. In contrast to dualisms which separate reason from affection and theology from politics, affections' role in politics is explored through examining the eschatological commitments of political thought. Through close attention to Deuteronomy, Luke and Acts, the book considers the role of affections in institutions of political representation, law, and healthcare. Over against post-national visions which underplay locality in human identity, the account of political affectivity which emerges suggests that civic participation, critical patriotic loyalties, social trust and international concern will be primarily galvanised by the renewal of local affections through effective political representation. The book concludes by describing the vocation of churches to embody the joyful, hopeful life of the Kingdom of God and so bring renewal to contemporary political experience Cover Contents Introduction The Argument A Note on Terminology Why This Book was Written 1. Politics and Emotions I. Emotion and Religion in Contemporary Politics II. The Cognitivist Turn in Theories of Emotion III. Compassion as Paradigm: Martha Nussbaum’s Approach Conclusion 2. Affections I. Affections as the Participative Beginnings of Understanding II. Enduring Affections III. Affections and the End Conclusion 3. Affections and Political Institutions I. Martha Nussbaum’s Political Eschatology II. Political Affections in Deuteronomy, Luke, and Acts III. Representation, Loyalty, and Law IV. Compassion and Shame Revisited Conclusion: Joy and Awe 4. Affections and Locality I. Constitutional Patriotism II. Local Affections III. Constitutional Patriotism Revisited Conclusion 5. Renewing Political Affections I. Transmission, Trust, and Transposition II. Faith in God as the Source of Joyful Praise III. Joyful Praise as the Beginning of Political Ethics IV. Sharing in Joyful Praise of the Cruci.ed and Risen Christ V. Preserving Trust Conclusion: The Return to Praise Epilogue: The Joy of All the Earth Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W A Theological Treatment Of The Role Of Affections Such As Joy, Compassion, And Shame In Contemporary Politics. Hordern Discusses What Affections Are And How They Play A Role In Parts Of Political Life Such As Representation And Law. He Shows That Affections Have An Intelligent Role To Play In Fostering Loyalty, Trust And Public Moral Reasoning. Politics And Emotions -- Affections -- Affections And Political Institutions -- Affections And Locality -- Renewing Political Affections. Joshua Hordern. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 298-305) And Index.