Mere Fidelity James K.A. Smith's 'Awaiting the King,' with David Henreckson
Nov 28, 2017
David Henreckson, Associate Professor of Theology, joins to delve into James K.A. Smith's *Awaiting the King.* They explore the book's intriguing shift from traditional political theology to contemporary questions of authority and Christian engagement. Henreckson discusses the church's role in shaping societal loves, critiques the First Amendment, and debates the idea of church establishment. He emphasizes the need for a more engaged, historically-informed public theology, while addressing complex notions of pluralism and the church's influence on cultural liturgies.
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Politics As Formative Worship
- James K.A. Smith frames politics as a matter of love and formation rather than mere ideas or policies.
- Liturgies—everyday practices—shape our loves, imagination, and political orientation.
Genealogy Reframes Political Theology
- Smith shifts in Awaiting the King toward a genealogy of Western political order drawing on O'Donovan and Taylor.
- That genealogical turn reframes Christian political engagement beyond Hauerwas-style sectarianism.
First Amendment As Christendom's Break
- Quoting O'Donovan, Smith explores how the First Amendment symbolically ended Christendom by excluding government from evangelical obedience.
- That exclusion reshaped how society conceives political authority and religion's public role.
