crisis-of-western-existence
The philosophical and historical condition identified by Voegelin and other thinkers as a rupture in European history marked by decay, loss of meaning, and the collapse of traditional political and spiritual orders.
1 chapter across 1 book
The Shipwrecked Mind: On Political Reaction (2016)Mark Lilla
This chapter explores Eric Voegelin's intellectual journey and his critique of modern political ideologies as 'political religions' that arise from the secularization and divinization of political order following the Enlightenment. Voegelin traces the historical relationship between religion and politics from ancient civilizations through Christianity to modernity, arguing that the removal of divine authority from politics leads to totalitarian ideologies that mimic religious structures. His work reflects a deep engagement with the crisis of Western civilization and the need to understand the spiritual underpinnings of political order.