Modern political-constitutional concepts are secularized theology

Evidence

Schmitt argues that many theological and political concepts share a common structure. “All significant concepts of the modern theory of the state are secularized theological concepts,” he writes, “not only because of their historical development—in which they were transferred from theology to the theory of the state, whereby, for example, the omnipotent God became the omnipotent lawgiver—but also because of their systematic structure, the recognition of which is necessary for a sociological consideration of these concepts. The exception in jurisprudence is analogous to the miracle in theology. Only by being aware of this analogy can we appreciate the manner in which the philosophical ideas of the state developed in the last centuries.” — Talal Asad, Formations of the Secular, 922

Categorization

• DEFINE: Classic Schmittian thesis: state concepts inherit theological structure, e.g. omnipotent God becomes omnipotent lawgiver
• XREF: connects to: Theology and philosophy together produced the modern subject concept.; Sacralized politics occurs in democracies too, giving constitutions and founders scripture-like status — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 82; Secularism is not a neutral doctrine but a modern construct redefining religion and politics — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 295 (+1 more)