Exposing political theory’s theological roots: three caveats

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article Blijdenstein introduces recent reflections on secular liberalism’s treatment of religion and critically discusses those genealogical approaches that centre on uncovering the hidden theological roots of the liberal framework. The claim that contemporary liberal ideas on, for example, religion, secularity and tolerance are in fact ‘Christian’ or ‘Protestant’ comes with its own set of problems, as it hides from view the importance of the different political and historical contexts in which these categories have played, and continue to play, a role. Blijdenstein formulates three caveats on critiques that focus on the persistence of theological categories.