2019/12/06 by Christopher Adair-Toteff, Christopher Adair‐Toteff
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Political Philosophy and Ethics #Reformation and Early Modern Christianity #Seventeenth-Century Political and Philosophical Thought
paper · doi:10.1080/01916599.2019.1697940
openalex publication_date 2019/12/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Schleiermacher’s doctrine of the state has long been neglected yet he offers a novel theory of the state. It is intended to avoid the traditional theories which believe that the state is a function of religion and the modern theories which tend to view the state as based upon a contract. Instead, Schleiermacher conceives of the state as an organic community which is dedicated to reformations in the church, education, family, and defense. While this essay is historically oriented, like most every classical political theory, it provides contemporary issues. Schleiermacher has never been regarded as a major political theorist but perhaps this essay will help change that opinion.