Neid und Politik
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (Verlag)
978-3-525-55021-2 (ISBN)
Takashi Onuki has taken on the task of restudying and clearing up the Gnostic statements on the subject of envy in their historical, cultural and political context, especially in light of the teachings of the Gnostics. To this end he looks at the main motifs of the Gnostic myth and attempts to crystallise the mythological role of envy contained therein.In the Syrian-Egyptian version of Gnosis envy played a major role in the development of the myth. Envy in fact is the structural principle behind the myth. But psychomythical parallelism (G. Theißen) allows us to de-mythologise the myth from a psychological point of view: The Gnostics were encouraged to overcome envy and to re-establish the original state of an envyless life. Politically seen, there was a change in roles here: The Romans, a major player in their system of rule, assumed the role of the "envier" (Jaldabaoth), whereas the Gnostics, the "race with no ruler" or the "true kings," had the role of the "envied," even though they had denounced all political activity. In contrast, Manichaeism, which had wandered to the East, assumed an active role in political matters.This volume provides the mythological reasoning that allowed the Manichaeans to participate in politics. The different political position of the two types of Gnosis has to do with the structure of their respective salvation myths. The mythological idea of salvation, on the one hand, and the way one lives one's life are inextricably connected to a certain political attitude on the other hand. This study thus confirms one of the basic theories of the sociology of religion of Max Weber concerning the connection between religion and society.
Prof. Takashi Onuki ist seit 2009 Professor an der Jiyugakuen-Hochschule in Tokyo und Mitglied des Japanese Biblical Institute sowie der Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.
The theme of this book is to explicate the statements about envy in the Gnostic myths in the light of their historical, cultural, and political context, as well as of the self-understanding of the Gnostics. For this purpose, the present author takes up several significant motifs, which constitute the Gnostic myths, and surveys the function of envy-motifs in the myths.In the Gnosticism in the Syro-Egyptian lineage, envy plays quite an important role for the plot development. Envy is one of the principal constituents in myths. Also, “psychological-mythological parallelism” (der “psychomythische Parallelismus” G. Theißen) makes it possible to demythologize the Gnostic myths: that is to say, the Gnostics overcome their envy and recover their original way of envy-free being. In their political context, it turns into the exchange of roles: namely, the Roman Empire which subjugates the Gnostics under its strong government is now assigned the role of “envier” (Jaldabaoth in the Gnostic myths), while the Gnostics play the role of “being envied” as “Kingless tribe” or as “The True Kings.” But they turn away from the actual political activities. In this sense, the occidental Manis make a clear contrast with the Syro-Egyptian Gnostics, since they vigorously participated in political activities. The present author thus clarifies the mythological basis that enabled them to take part in the political activities.It is the structure of their soteriological myths that brings about the difference in their political activities. Two elements—the soteriological principle (by which the Gnostic myth is constructed) and the life attitude (which includes political posture)—are inseparably interrelated. Through these theses, the present author further demonstrates Max Weber’s fundamental propositions in sociology of religion.>
| Erscheint lt. Verlag | 14.9.2011 |
|---|---|
| Reihe/Serie | Novum Testamentum et Orbis Antiquus /Studien zur Umwelt des Neuen Testaments (NTOA/StUNT) ; Band 079 |
| Verlagsort | Göttingen |
| Sprache | deutsch |
| Maße | 160 x 237 mm |
| Gewicht | 512 g |
| Themenwelt | Religion / Theologie ► Christentum ► Kirchengeschichte |
| Schlagworte | Antike • Antike; Geistes-/Kultur-Geschichte • Gnosis • Politikgeschichte |
| ISBN-10 | 3-525-55021-9 / 3525550219 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-3-525-55021-2 / 9783525550212 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
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