Religious passions are again driving world politics. The quest to bring political life under God’s authority has been revived, confounding ex...
read full description
reviews
Jan 06, 2012
Chris
rated it: 
God springs ever forth from Humanity in throng,
The Jews made Lord JHVH so scarily strong.
Then Jesus proclaimed God his very own Daddy,
And hired Holy Spirit as Number One Caddy.
Out from this Divine Nexus of God, Man, and World,
Strife, chaos and misery was daily unfurled,
Messiah, Revelation, did bound Man fair tight,
Of and not of this world, half-forms spurred Men to fight.
But Hobbes raised his hand high and cried out loudly, No!
God makes Man too crazy More...
The Jews made Lord JHVH so scarily strong.
Then Jesus proclaimed God his very own Daddy,
And hired Holy Spirit as Number One Caddy.
Out from this Divine Nexus of God, Man, and World,
Strife, chaos and misery was daily unfurled,
Messiah, Revelation, did bound Man fair tight,
Of and not of this world, half-forms spurred Men to fight.
But Hobbes raised his hand high and cried out loudly, No!
God makes Man too crazy More...
13 comments
like
(7 people liked it)
Sep 18, 2007
Heather's Mum
rated it: 
The Stillborn God: Religion, Politics, and the Modern West by Mark Lilla.
Lilla seems to be saying that though Christianity is just too philosophically interesting and satisfying to be abandoned by the masses, it is actually a psychological necessity for the intellectually weak. He agrees with (and quotes) a few "so-called deep social thinkers" in that ALL belief in God and every religion was created by man, not only as a result of his cringing self-protective fear... but a More...
Lilla seems to be saying that though Christianity is just too philosophically interesting and satisfying to be abandoned by the masses, it is actually a psychological necessity for the intellectually weak. He agrees with (and quotes) a few "so-called deep social thinkers" in that ALL belief in God and every religion was created by man, not only as a result of his cringing self-protective fear... but a More...
Jul 15, 2009
Jennie
rated it: 
one of the difficulties with this book is the way lilla associates passion with religious fanaticism. this makes passion look a) religious, and b) negative.
but regarding a) we know that passion is not inherently religious nor secular-- we have seen people passionate for causes that are religious (the reformation), non-religious (suffrage), and a mixture of the two (abolition).
regarding b) we also know that passion is not necessarily a negative thing-- as connected to a) More...
but regarding a) we know that passion is not inherently religious nor secular-- we have seen people passionate for causes that are religious (the reformation), non-religious (suffrage), and a mixture of the two (abolition).
regarding b) we also know that passion is not necessarily a negative thing-- as connected to a) More...
Sep 19, 2009
Ben
rated it:
The impact of religion on politics—particularly the invocation of divine authority to justify a specific social order—is an issue both interesting and complex. In The Stillborn God, Mark Lilla promises an episodic presentation of the rise and fall of political theology from sixteenth century England to twentieth century Germany. While often interesting and thoughtful, the book ultimately fails to fulfil this promise, instead becoming mired in its exploration of the interaction among various ph
More...
Aug 09, 2008
Lyndon
rated it: 
This is a great book. The prose is tight and lucid, the story told is compelling and persuasive - to a point. Reviewers more skilled and patient than I have already pointed out the importance of this text and it's short-comings (check out: this link for the the more learned reviews, including a postscript from Lilla himself).
I join with those readers who find Lilla's 'separation' between political philosophy and political theology to continue the shallow assumptions of modernity. I More...
I join with those readers who find Lilla's 'separation' between political philosophy and political theology to continue the shallow assumptions of modernity. I More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 13, 2011
Excerpt:
For over two centuries, from the American and French revolutions to the collapse of Soviet Communism, political life in the West revolved around eminently political questions. We argued about war and revolution, class and social justice, race and national identity. Today we have progressed to the point where we are again fighting the battles of the sixteenth century -- over relation and reason, dogmatic purity and toleration, inspiration and consent, divine duty and common decency. ..More...
Apr 28, 2008
Jeremy
rated it:
What I found stunning about this book is that Lilla does cover so much ground in so few pages and does it so lucidly. Lilla, a professor of humanies at Columbia, surveys the Western historical connections between politics and religion and notes that in the seventeenth century, the way to look at politics became less theological and more anthropological. H What I struggled with was that he blames Karl Barth for helping to create the environment in which Nazism arose, mostly because of Barth's apo
More...
Apr 24, 2008
Stephen
rated it:
As with any number of non-fictions books I've read lately, Mark Lilla's The Stillborn God is one I'll have to return to in the future for a detailed skimming. I like taking notes; yet, notetaking requires extra time, and can make it difficult to see the forest for the trees. Thus I've been experimenting with reading all the way through, with an eye to returning soon to skim back over for the most thought-provoking elements. Hasn't happened yet with anything else though =/.
When I do More...
When I do More...
Jul 01, 2008
Krishan
rated it:
This book is a tour through the history of religious ideas about politics, or what the author calls 'political theology', and focused on the western / Christian tradition. I took interest in the book when Christopher Hitchens reviewed the first section of the book as it was published in the New York Times Magazine.
Lilla begins by saying that the forces of secular politics and enlightenment philosophy should have won over the whole world by now, but they haven't won the war yet. As he More...
Lilla begins by saying that the forces of secular politics and enlightenment philosophy should have won over the whole world by now, but they haven't won the war yet. As he More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 15, 2008
Lawrence
rated it:
Not sure what I expected with this book, but it was a huge disappointment. It was dull, wordy, and ultimately weakly concluded. It failed as an explication of the social power of political theology because its focus was way too narrow. Written more as a critique of philosophical approaches, it never included enough information to create the social and historical analysis it purported to be. And, its apology for Hegel in the face of an explicit acknowledgement of his strong anti-semitism was
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 07, 2008
Eleanore
rated it: 
The book is a elegantly written, absolutely lucid account of the evolution of the relationship between religion & politics from the end of the reformation to the modern era. It is an essential read for anyone who hopes to understand the essence of what Mark Lilla calls "the Great Separation", and critical to those who aspire to influence either religion, politics or policies related to either.
It is also a refreshingly rational and dispassionate (while not unsympathetic) di More...
It is also a refreshingly rational and dispassionate (while not unsympathetic) di More...
May 07, 2008
Shawn
rated it:
This is a very informative read for anyone interested in western renaissance philosophy of religion and politics. The author summarizes the theories of many pivotal philosophers of western Europe, and explains how our culture came to believe so strongly in the separation of church and state. Mr. Lilla details the growing pains of this political and religious evolution, and eventually gets around to relating it to our conflicts with Middle Eastern cultures today.
Although this book is More...
Although this book is More...
Mar 16, 2009
Jerry
rated it:
Helpful but inadequate analysis of political theology emerging into the modern period.
Jul 06, 2009
Roberta
rated it:
Sorry to say, I read half the book and put it down. Much too erudite for my poor brain.
Apr 15, 2008
Virtually unreadable. I made an attempt a couple of months ago. I stopped around page 70. I have no recollection of it at all. It's too bad because I've come across a number of good reviews for the book. One questioned the sanity of the publishers Knopf, wondering what made them think that there was an audience for this book. Like the book, that review was also incomprehensible. If you understand what this book is about, you're clearly smarter than I am.
Oct 04, 2007
This book was originally assigned reading for the first day of a political theology class that turned out to be terrible. I'm having to go a little light on my free-time reading because most of my time has been taken up by Lacan, Goethe, or some philosopher writing about language. The book is okay so far, but I'm hoping that it will get better as it (hopefully) starts to discuss the secularization of theological ideas.
May 21, 2010
Maughn
rated it:
Insightful history of the relationship between religion and politics in the west, demonstrating the perils of "political theology" of many kinds. My nutshell summary: Hobbes was right, that peace of mind, prosperity, simple decency and other modest goods of life are constantly under threat by those who seek higher goods under divine inspiration and impose their convictions on others. (300)
May 22, 2009
Kevin
rated it:
A detailed and sometimes tedious look at the interplay between political theology and political philosophy over the last 300 years. Unfortunately, the author chose to leave off his tale around World War II, leaving me quite unsatisfied given the recent clashes in the "culture war".
Dec 28, 2007
Carrie
rated it:
Professor Lilla makes a lot of claims that are at once brilliant, grand, and apprehensive. His writing style is deceptively logical and straight-forward - you will take some time thinking over his statements and unpacking the meaning hidden in all of them.
Oct 29, 2007
Nick
rated it:
A very interesting history of political theology, and through it of the evolution of at least the Western world's view of and attitude toward religion, religious belief and religious tolerance. Classy book, well written, on an important subject.
Jan 23, 2008
Sara
rated it:
I'm not finished with this one yet but I already recommend it. Esp. to you R
Feb 05, 2012
Jan 24, 2012
Jan 20, 2012
Jan 09, 2012
Dec 09, 2011
