Creation, Fall and Political Theology

Abstract

This paper discusses the two creation stories of Genesis, arguing that the theology inherent to them does not support the standard assumption of divine and political sovereignty being analogous concepts. God has endowed Man with unique faculties necessary to act as God’s vicar within creation, but these faculties have become essentially distorted by the Fall. Although, understandably, there is precious little in the Bible about how Man’s governing would have been like, there are some important insights the text offers; and the analysis of the Fall and its aftermath gives us further clues to that. Essentially, Man’s faculties of making distinctions, realizing goodness, being able to recognize his divine mission, and acknowledge the other as a partner, have become fundamentally distorted, and are being inevitably abused. Outside the Eden, we have no other choice but to rely on these faculties in politics, in the City. The Bible is a constant reminder, however, that these faculties are inherently corruptive. Thus, contra Carl Schmitt’s presumption, theological concepts, inasmuch as they are meant to capture truth (though deficiently), cannot be secularized, only abused. Biblical political theology is essentially critical of positive political theory.