试论埃里克·沃格林的“政治宗教”理论

On Eric Voegelin’s Theory of“Political Religion”

《政治宗教》是沃格林学术生涯早期的代表作,通过“政治宗教”的理论视角考察了纳粹德国的历史根源、符号特征与世俗宗教本质。学术界围绕“政治宗教”的理论内涵与学术价值展开了大量的争论。然而,若要恰当地评估“政治宗教”则需要澄清该理论所遵循的理论基础及其所体现的特征与性质。首先,“政治宗教”的特征体现在其“符号—经验”的分析模式中;其次,该理论是沃格林探究纳粹德国政治危机的新视角,也是沃格林“精神政治学”的理论雏形。在明确“政治宗教”的特征与性质之后,进而可以恰当地阐明该研究对当今学界诊断社会政治危机与探索良善秩序的启迪意义。

The Political Religions is the representative work of the young Voegelin.It examines the historical origins,symbolisms,and the nature of the secular religion of Nazi Germany by employing the theoretical perspective of“political religion.”Considerable debates have been launched in academia concerning the theoretical connotation and importance of“political religion.”However,a proper evaluation of“political religion”requires further clarification of its theoretical foundations,characteristics,and nature.First,the characteristics of“political religion”are reflected in the“symbol-experience”formula involved in its analysis.Second,the theory is Voegelin’s new perspective to explore the severe crisis of Nazi Germany and a prototype of his Geisteswissenschaftliche Staatslehre.After revealing the characteristics and nature of“political religion,”it is possible to properly clarify the significance of this theory in diagnosing socio-political crises and explore the good order in times of chaos.