History of Political Ideas

Book excerpt: Reaching from the decline of the Greek Polis to Saint Augustine, Voegelin demonstrates that the spiritual disintegration of the Hellenic world inaugurated a long process of transition in the self- understanding of Mediterranean and European man. At the heart of his interpretation is the powerful account of Apostolic Christianity's political implications and the work of the early church fathers. Voegelin's consideration of the political philosophy of Rome and his unique analysis of Greek and early Roman law are of particular interest. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR