In this book Gavin Rae analyses the foundations of political life by undertaking a critical
comparative analysis of the political theologies of Carl Schmitt and Emmanuel Levinas. In so
doing Rae contributes to key debates in contemporary political philosophy specifically those
relating to the nature of and the relationship between the theological the political and
the ethical as well as those questioning the existence of ahistoric metaphysical ontological
and epistemological foundations. While the theological is often associated with belief in a
fixed foundation such as God or the truth of a religion Rae identifies another sense rooted in
epistemology. On this understanding the ontological limitations of human cognition mean that
ultimately human truth is based in faith and so can never be certain. The argument developed
suggests that Levinas¿ conception of the political is grounded in theology in the sense of
religion particularly the revelations of Judaism. For this reason Levinas claims that the
political decision is based on how to implement a prior religiously-inspired norm: justice.
Schmitt in contrast develops a conception of the political rooted in epistemic faith to claim
that the political decision is normless. While sympathetic to Schmitt¿s conception of theology
and its relationship to the political Rae concludes by arguing that the emphasis Levinas
places on responsibility is crucial to understanding the implications of this. The continuing
relevance of Schmitt¿s and Levinas¿ political theologies is that they teach us that while the
political decision is ultimately normless we bear an infinite responsibility for the
consequences of this normless decision.
