Incomplete Papers by Robert T Osborne
Only Russians are capable of sacrificing themselves to save humanity, just like Jesus did." 1 Wha... more Only Russians are capable of sacrificing themselves to save humanity, just like Jesus did." 1 What does Russian President Vladimir Putin consider to be the two pillars of Russian statehood? The answer: Nuclear Weapons and the Russian Orthodox Church. "The first the main guarantor of external security, and the second the principal source of the nation's moral-spiritual wellbeing" (Adamsky 2022). As a scholar of both religion and international security, this quote generated significant interest from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. Thus, the purpose of this essay is two-fold. From the theoretical perspective, this study seeks to better understand the religio-political nexus from the perspective of political science. The relationship between the religious and political is often misunderstood, or even overlooked entirely within the existing political science literature. As will be addressed within the first section of this discussion, the lack of consideration for religion, specifically political theology, within the existing literature is to the detriment of both academic and practitioner analysis. Building on this, the second section of the essay will explore the political theology of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in an attempt to better contextualize and understand current geopolitical developments. To understand the religio-political nexus, we must first identify and define the critical concept -political theology. Deconstructing the term into its two operational parts, theology is broadly understood as "discourse about God, and human persons as they relate to [the sacred]" (Cavanaugh and Scott 2004, 1). Similarly, political is broadly defined as "the use of structural power to organize a society or community of people" (Cavanaugh and Scott 2004, 1). Combining the two concepts together, The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology offers an excellent academic definition, stating: "political theology is, then, the analysis and criticism of political arrangements (including cultural-psychological, social and economic aspects) from the perspective of differing interpretations of [the sacred] with the world" (Cavanaugh and Scott 2004, 1). 3 Theoretically, this definition works well, especially for disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and religious studies. Yet, it is lacking in its practicality. In other words, we must ask how political theology can be understood and studied as a political phenomenon, which is, obviously, more pertinent for questions of political science and international relations. To better grasp the relationship between the political and the theological, we should focus on the interaction between political theology and ideology. In so doing, it is possible to conceptualize how religion interacts with the political realm and how religion inspires and influences political engagement. 1 Quote is taken from The Guardian article "Angels and artillery: a cathedral to Russia's new national identity." In the article, Dmitry, a 28-year-old altar server is referencing the imagery which blends the military with the religious. (Walker 2020) 2 Parts of this discussion are borrowed and re-worked from an unpublished 2022 essay for POGO 550 entitled "Geotheology" (Osborne 2022). 3 To note: the authors mention that the term "political theology" derives from a Christian-centric understanding of religion, and their textual analysis is centered upon Christian theologies. However, from a definitive vantage point, their use of the term "God" is substituted with the term "the sacred" within this essay as a means of incorporating non-monotheistic religions.
This essay investigates the role of religion and state relations within a liberal democratic soci... more This essay investigates the role of religion and state relations within a liberal democratic society. It looks at the United States' model as the strongest amongst many in modernity, and investigates the historical development, as well as the modern culture war. It then takes a normative approach to religion and state relations, investigating the Rawlsian model as well as Stepan's Twin Tolerations.
This essay explores the research of Peter R. Neumann's 2015 report "Victims, Perpetrators, Assets... more This essay explores the research of Peter R. Neumann's 2015 report "Victims, Perpetrators, Assets: The Narratives of Islamic State Defectors" and seeks to identify the factors which motivate individuals to adopt a radicalized political ideology.
Class Essays by Robert T Osborne
This essay investigates the current relationship between the United States and Israel. Have the i... more This essay investigates the current relationship between the United States and Israel. Have the ideological
differences between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu created a schism between these two allied
states?
An analysis of the role of fundamentalist religion within the United States. Can fundamentalist C... more An analysis of the role of fundamentalist religion within the United States. Can fundamentalist Christianity coexist with a pluralistic liberal democracy?
Articles by Robert T Osborne
Analysis of how the Cold War came to an end.
Finished Papers by Robert T Osborne
Papers by Robert T Osborne
Although related, Zionism and Christian Zionism have vastly different ideological construction an... more Although related, Zionism and Christian Zionism have vastly different ideological construction and political objectives. This essay looks into the beliefs which have informed these two ideological positions in a comparative investigation, while addressing the relationship between religion and nationalism within these two perspectives.
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Incomplete Papers by Robert T Osborne
Class Essays by Robert T Osborne
differences between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu created a schism between these two allied
states?
Articles by Robert T Osborne
Finished Papers by Robert T Osborne
Papers by Robert T Osborne
differences between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu created a schism between these two allied
states?