Priesthood of Kings: On the Illiberal Theology of Thomas Hobbes and Carl Schmitt

Abstract

Carl Schmitt's early 20th century philosophic works argue that political theories are extensions and explications of preexisting theological frameworks, and claim that his own political perspectives are an overt incarnation of Roman Catholic doctrine, particularly with regard to ecclesiastical governance and authority. Schmitt's close affinity for the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes also calls into question conventional scholarly estimations of Leviathan’s alleged religiosity and theological underpinnings. Using Carl Schmitt's analysis of Hobbes, as well as his larger framework for political theology, I propose a rereading of Leviathan as a secularization of Roman Catholic doctrine on the themes of "authority" and "sovereignty," in contrast to the standard interpretations of Hobbes which tend to represent his authoritarian work as a form of political agnosticism or even atheism.