Original scientific paper
JURAJ KRIŽANIĆ BETWEEN AUGUSTINE AND HOBBES
Goran Sunajko
; Goran Sunajko, Fra Filipa Grabovca 11, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The author designates the Croatian thinker Juraj Križanić as a philosopher of
politics, i.e. a modern political theorist who, on the one hand, founds his postulates
on traditional theological thought, and, on the other, takes into account
the postulates of modern political theory. As a theologian, Križanić bases his
conception of history and theology on the providentialism of St. Aurelius Augustine,
and his political theory on the acceptance of a part of the thought of
his contemporary Thomas Hobbes. The theoretical position – political theology,
positions him precisely between the political-theological postulates of
Augustine and the political-theoretical hypotheses of Hobbes. In agreement
with Augustine, Križanić concludes that the political community (state) has its
foundation in God and the values comprised in him, which is especially manifest
in Providence and royal worship as basis of the internal structure of the
state. But, in agreement with Hobbes, Križanić understands that the mission
of the state decreed by Providence operates within the earthly state and the
secular political frameworks, and that, on the other hand, the king instituted
by the will of God has his foundation also in the political body (the people),
and this ranks Križanić among the modern political theorists.
Keywords
Augustine; God; civitas Dei; civitas terrena; church; state; Hobbes; royal worship; Križanić; political theology; sovereignty
Hrčak ID:
81919
URI
Publication date:
14.5.2012.
Visits: 1.779 *