Instructor: Stefania Tutino

Office Hours: R, 4-6pm

e-mail address: tutino@religion.ucsb.edu

THEOLOGY AND POLITICAL THEORY: THEMES AND PROBLEMS IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN EUROPE

Introduction: In this seminar we will examine some of the problems and questions concerning the relationship between religious and secular authority in medieval and early modern Europe. In particular, this course will be concerned with the relation between theology and political theory. Among the main goals of this course is to get students familiar with some fundamental texts in the history of European political thought, and to get them to reflect on issues such as the origin and nature of government and society, the link between theories of government and Christianity, the relationship between bodies and consciences and the road to separating the jurisdiction over the former from the jurisdiction over the latter.

Course requirements: Students are expected to attend the weekly meeting and to participate to the discussion regularly. Every week one or more students will be asked to lead discussion. In addition, at the end of the seminar students will be asked to write the outline of a research paper and an annotated bibliography. More details on the topics will be given in class.

Course Material: the following books have been ordered and will be ready for purchase at the UCSB Bookstore:

Aristotle, The Politics and The Constitution of Athens, ed. by S.Everson, Cambridge University Press 1996, ISBN: 0521484006

Erasmus, The Education of a Christian Prince, Cambridge University Press 1997, ISBN: 0521588111

N.Machiavelli, The Prince, Bedford/St.Martin’s 2004, ISBN:0312349786

Luther and Calvin on Secular Authority, Cambridge University Press 1991, ISBN: 0521349869

Vitoria, Political writings, Cambridge University Press 1992, ISBN: 052136714X

J.Bodin, On Sovereignty, Cambridge University Press 1992, ISBN: 0521349923

Vindiciae contra Tyrannos, Cambridge University Press 1994, ISBN: 0521349877

If students wish to use a different edition for some of these primary sources, they are allowed to do so, but they should first discuss with me the text or texts that they plan on using. The items marked with an ‘*’ have been collected into a course reader, which will be available for purchase at the Associated Students Publication Service Window (on campus).

Schedule of Classes:

Week I

Introduction to the course

Week II: Aristotle and the foundation of political theory

Aristotle, The Politics, in The Politics and The Constitution of Athens, ed. by S.Everson, Cambridge University Press 1996

Week III: the Augustinian tradition

Augustine, The City of God, books 14-15*

Week IV: Aristotle revised

Aquinas, a selection of his political writings*

Week V: Humanism and political theory

Erasmus from Rotterdam, The Education of a Christian Prince, Cambridge University Press 1997

Week VI: The birth of ‘reason of state’

N.Machiavelli, The Prince, Bedford/St.Martin’s 2004

Week VII: Protestant political thought

H.Höpfl (ed.), Luther and Calvin on Secular Authority, Cambridge University Press 1991.

Week VIII: Catholic political thought

Vitoria, Political writings, Cambridge University Press 1992

Week IX: absolutism and religion

J.Bodin, On Sovereignty: four chapters from the six books of the commonwealth, Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Week X: resistance and religion

G.Garnett (ed.), Brutus: Vindiciae contra Tyrannos, Cambridge University Press 2003.