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Political Worship: Ethics for Christian Citizens
Anglican Theological Review, Fall 2005 by Dackson, Wendy
Political Worship: Ethics for Christian Citizens. By Bernd Wannenwetsch. Translated by Margaret Kohl. Oxford Studies in Theological Ethics. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. xiv + 402 pp. £79.00 / $145.00 (cloth).
The central issue of Political Worship is the importance of the church, and especially the place of worship, for informing the practice of Christian ethics. This is not a new concern and has been a topic of serious consideration for at least the better part of the last century. It has had a prominent place in the work of theologians as divergent as Archbishop William Temple and Stanley Hauerwas.
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However, Wannenwetsch does not wish to raise the issue of worship as a "foundation" for ethics in terms of something to be taught, believed, and done. Rather, an "ethic springing from worship" is a matter of being, which "integrates the different aspects of living" (p. 3). The aim is to propose an ethic that goes beyond the current labels of liberalism and communitarianism. Worship, then, is the place where ethical perception is acquired as practical knowledge.
The question of what is meant by "political worship" can only be inferred from the text; in no place is a succinct definition given. Instead, the author intends to speak to the way "talk about the political is transformed by the experience of worship" (p. 25), and how this has been true of the Christian community throughout its history. How, exactly, this transformation is effected, and the results that should follow, are far from clear. The purpose seems to be to remind Christians of their task to secure the political virtues of (provisional) peace and order, and thus the political arena becomes a locus of worship, understood as the service of God.
Political Worship relates to the two theologians mentioned earlier in distinctly different ways. It offers a clear and refreshing alternative to the "resident aliens" approach promoted by Hauerwas, emphasizing instead the inherently political witness of worship and the formation of Christian life and identity in the world. On the other hand, the author hints at the shaping of political consciousness and character that is more clearly elaborated in the writings of William Temple (whose approach, ironically, he examines incompletely and then rejects).
The text is carefully researched, using a wide variety of classic and contemporary sources to advance its claims. Extensive notes, bibliography, and index make it a useful reference tool for further study. However, it will likely frustrate all but the most advanced readers. The style is ponderous, often claiming that "we have seen" something that is not truly evident; the lack of a clear definition of the term "political worship" makes the argument difficult to trace. Some of this may be due to Margaret Kohl's translation from the original German text. At most, it can be recommended to a narrow and advanced readership, rather than parish clergy or study groups. However, for a very academic circle, it may spark some interesting discussion and alternatives to the dominant strain in Christian political theology.
WENDY DACKSON
East Aurora, New York
Copyright Anglican Theological Review, Inc. Fall 2005
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