Theocracy—Jewish Philosophy Reading Group Workshop

In the Bible, when the Israelites asked Gideon to be their king, he replied, “I will not rule over you myself, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD alone shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23). What exactly is the rule of God (or Theocracy)? ls it direct or is it mediated by prophets, like Moses, or the Priests? Why were the Israelites apparently unable to live without a king? ls theocracy still a possible or desirable form of government or is it just a pretext for religious authorities to take over the state? This workshop will consider the modern understanding and critical revival of this ancient theological-political idea.

Join us for an all-day workshop sponsored by the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies and the Grafstein Chair in Jewish Philosophy.

The workshop will take place in the Jackman Humanities Building, Room 100.

Schedule

10:00-11:00h

Samuel Brody (Kansas), “Is Theoeconomics Possible?”

11:15-12:15h

Julie Cooper (Tel Aviv), “Theocracy or Kahal? Leo Strauss’ Encounter with Eastern European Jewish Thought”

12:15-13:30h

Lunch

13:30-14:30h

Randi Rashkover (William & Mary), “Theocracy, Power and Ideology: A Critique of Buber’s Conception of Theopolitics and History”

14:45-15:45h

Dylan Shaul (Toronto), “Hegel on Jewish Theocracy and the Kingship of God”

16:00-17:00h

Ori Werdiger (Toronto), “When theocracy fails: an exegetical dispute between Buber and Spinoza”

Related Events

Monday, November 7 2022

12:00-13:30h

(Jackman Humanities Building, Room 100)

Samuel Hayim Brody, Martin Buber’s Theopolitics and Randi Rashkover’s Nature and

Norm: Judaism, Christianity and the Theopolitical Problem.

16:00h

(Jackman Humanities Building, Room 100)

Julie Cooper, “Spinoza vs. the Kahal: The Zionist Critique of Spinoza’s Politics.”