Ideology as Idolatry or Vice Versa

Abstract

In this chapter, I will introduce some of Eagleton’s and Žižek’s most important theoretical tools, especially the concept of ideology critique. As Marxists, whatever else their agendas might be, it could be argued that such a critique has a prominent place in their respective theories, as far as the aim of these theories is emancipation and not, primarily at least, theoretical investigation. Thus, to get a hold on how they regard the critique of ideology will help me to put their use of theology in a proper perspective, as this use, as will be shown throughout this book, is intimately connected to the vital questions of how to achieve human emancipation as well as what a legitimate hope would mean. I shall here introduce a structure of my book that, more or less, will be repeated in the coming chapters, beginning with a short introduction to the key concept itself, moving on to Eagleton’s and Žižek’s respective views on the matter, and then ending with a comparative critical discussion.