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Preface
- University of Missouri Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
xi In 1939 and 1953, Perry Miller published the two volumes of his seminal work on Puritanism, The New England Mind. They became landmarks of scholarship and captivated readers with a powerful and humane narrative of theological ideas moving an entire society in fascinating and consequential directions. The ideas of Reformed Protestants continue to interest scholars. Part of the attraction is obvious enough. Reformed theology plays a substantial role in the history of Europe and America. There is also something polarizing and powerful in its arguments and personalities. We are therefore not surprised to find some who are partisans in their study of Reformed Protestantism. Some praise Calvin and his colleagues, christening them the founders of modern liberty as we know it. Others cast Calvin or the Puritans as theocratic oppressors. Both friends and enemies often miss the mark, however. The aim of this book is to enter the debate with a generous approach similar to that of Miller’s The New England Mind. My own study of Reformed Protestantism, Politics Reformed, tells the story of a very powerful political and religious idea: making a covenant. Covenants were among the very first symbols and devices to be used in ancient politics, and they remain with us in various forms today. Covenants represent a powerful moral ethos unique among all forms of political and social organization. This book is an exploration of the merits and limitations of covenantal social thinking and asks whether such ideas have relevance today. While the usual cast of characters is revisited, this study is not just about John Calvin or the English Puritans. They play a supporting role in my pursuit of a larger theological and political tradition that remains both compelling and instructive. While it is tempting to make apologies for talking about religion and politics together, it cannot be avoided. Covenantal politics is an important part of history. But what is past is sometimes prologue. Covenants may offer an alternative to our current fascination with dichotomous ideologies: liberalism or communitarianism, capitalism or socialism, democracy or totalitarianism. If Preface solutions come clothed in the robes of a religious tradition, we must not block our ears and wish them away. Rightly understood, covenantal thinking has the potential to move us past the kind of cynicism and expediency that characterize political life today. Learning how to approach the call of divine transcendence must remain part of our political conversation. Transcendent politics can sometimes be a very dangerous politics, but it is the only kind of politics fit for human beings. So long as we remain lower than the angels but higher than brute beasts, our nature will rightly call on us to somehow wed transcendence to our political orders. What follows shows how one particular political tradition answered that call, and how we might think about it today. xii Preface ...