Another notion of religion in world politics

Abstract

This book began with the assumption that it is not possible to keep religion out of politics and thus out of international relations theory. Rather, as the previous chapters attempted to illustrate, taking religion, faith and their (spiritual and cultural) insights can contribute much — in positive (i.e. practical) as well as in normative terms — to the research of international relations. The first of the two main aims and scopes of the book was to bring religion back into the study of international relations and its theories with a distinct focus on Christianity. This is not to say with a purely Christian lens. The main aim in doing so was to make an attempt to answer the question ‘How can an understanding of religion in international relations help us to work towards the greater good in international, and therefore human, relations?’ This is to say, while keeping the underlying thesis in mind, that international relations cannot be properly understood without addressing their religious and thus also moral dimensions. I have placed an emphasis on a hermeneutic aspect in favour of understanding, rather than on an explanatory approach. Ironically this question was also tackled in the negative way, in pointing out that working toward any ‘greater good’ may itself become a hazardous endeavour.