Ryan Andrew Newson

Politics and Miracle: Radical Democracy and Non-Interventionist Divine Action

ABSTRACT This paper elucidates Nancey Murphys theology of special divine action in order to show its unique coherence as well as explore some political implications of this theory. Besides showing itself to be a fruitful conceptualization of both “the miraculous” and the natural world, this paper argues that Murphys insights can be extended to address a pressing question in contemporary political theology: the nature and function of power in increasingly pluralistic societies. The upshot, drawing on the connection between conceptualizations of miracle and sovereignty made by Carl Schmitt, is that Murphys non-interventionist theory of divine action at the quantum level “fits” with an equally non-interventionist account of political authority from below, at the level of an active, democratically engaged citizenry.

Alasdair MacIntyre and Radically Dialogical Politics

In this paper, I show that in the field of political theology, Alasdair MacIntyre is best seen not as the harbinger of an isolated, nostalgic, and conservative politics, but as an advocate of a kind of pluralistic dialog similar to that advocated by adherents of radical democracy. After an overview of MacIntyres contemporary appropriation of Aristotle, I argue that reading MacIntyre in the light of his rejection of the fact-value distinction helps show the radical (rather than balkanizing) theo-political implications of his work, and dissolves many of the obstacles that might cause one to suspect that MacIntyres project necessarily leads to withdrawal from pluralistic society. In conclusion, I sketch the contours of a MacIntyrean politics by way of his anthropological insights in Dependent Rational Animals. From this angle, one can see MacIntyre advocating a “local politics of dependence” that does not eschew inter-traditioned dialog, but seeks to enable its occurrence despite the resistance provided by the modern nation-state.

Weird John Brown: Divine Violence and the Limits of Ethics by Ted A. Smith, and: Bodies of Peace: Ecclesiology, Nonviolence, and Witness by Myles Werntz (review)

that will hopefully be taken by future works. As one who finds the rigor and clarity of just war arguments compelling (though not convinced by their application), I found myself indebted to the editors for their desire to bracingly face some of the most vexing moral questions surrounding war. As such, the editors and contributors should be commended for their trenchant evaluation of the many aspects of this topic that have often not (but should) be considered theologically. Myles Werntz Baylor University