Prophetic Political Theology : Daniel Bensaïd's Alternative Radicalism
Svenungsson, Jayne LU
(2025)
In Nordisk Judaistik - Scandinavian Jewish Studies
36(1).
p.46-59
- Abstract
- This article probes the writings of the Jewish Trotskyist thinker Daniel Bensaïd (1946–2010) in light of recent debates on political theology. In contrast to what is sometimes explicitly referred to as ‘apocalyptic political theology’, it makes a case for what may be described as a ‘prophetic political theology’. Yet it is not obvious to claim Bensaïd as a proponent for such a project, since he explicitly denounced the meddling of theology in political thinking. The article therefore starts out by explaining the sense in which Bensaïd was committed to the profane nature of politics. Secondly, it suggests that Bensaïd’s ‘profane politics’ could nonetheless be framed as a political theology. Despite his rejection of theology, Bensaïd... (More)
- This article probes the writings of the Jewish Trotskyist thinker Daniel Bensaïd (1946–2010) in light of recent debates on political theology. In contrast to what is sometimes explicitly referred to as ‘apocalyptic political theology’, it makes a case for what may be described as a ‘prophetic political theology’. Yet it is not obvious to claim Bensaïd as a proponent for such a project, since he explicitly denounced the meddling of theology in political thinking. The article therefore starts out by explaining the sense in which Bensaïd was committed to the profane nature of politics. Secondly, it suggests that Bensaïd’s ‘profane politics’ could nonetheless be framed as a political theology. Despite his rejection of theology, Bensaïd simultaneously drew on a certain strand of Jewish prophetic thinking in his continuing revision and refinement of his original Trotskyist position. Having explored Bensaïd’s radical thinking as a prophetic political theology, the article concludes by indicating why and how it offers a productive way of responding to the challenges of our time. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2349f4c6-0102-4d12-8e23-a49e093a7b05
- author
- Svenungsson, Jayne
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Nordisk Judaistik - Scandinavian Jewish Studies
- volume
- 36
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 46 - 59
- publisher
- Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History
- ISSN
- 0348-1646
- DOI
- 10.30752/nj.156756
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2349f4c6-0102-4d12-8e23-a49e093a7b05
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-01 14:01:49
- date last changed
- 2025-07-15 11:32:40
@article{2349f4c6-0102-4d12-8e23-a49e093a7b05,
abstract = {{This article probes the writings of the Jewish Trotskyist thinker Daniel Bensaïd (1946–2010) in light of recent debates on political theology. In contrast to what is sometimes explicitly referred to as ‘apocalyptic political theology’, it makes a case for what may be described as a ‘prophetic political theology’. Yet it is not obvious to claim Bensaïd as a proponent for such a project, since he explicitly denounced the meddling of theology in political thinking. The article therefore starts out by explaining the sense in which Bensaïd was committed to the profane nature of politics. Secondly, it suggests that Bensaïd’s ‘profane politics’ could nonetheless be framed as a political theology. Despite his rejection of theology, Bensaïd simultaneously drew on a certain strand of Jewish prophetic thinking in his continuing revision and refinement of his original Trotskyist position. Having explored Bensaïd’s radical thinking as a prophetic political theology, the article concludes by indicating why and how it offers a productive way of responding to the challenges of our time.}},
author = {{Svenungsson, Jayne}},
issn = {{0348-1646}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{46--59}},
publisher = {{Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History}},
series = {{Nordisk Judaistik - Scandinavian Jewish Studies}},
title = {{Prophetic Political Theology : Daniel Bensaïd's Alternative Radicalism}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/222541366/Scandinavian_Jewish_Studies.pdf}},
doi = {{10.30752/nj.156756}},
volume = {{36}},
year = {{2025}},
}