McHenry, Mark (2013) Tolstoy & Isaiah : an anarchist critique of Isaiah’s revolution. Developing an anarchist hermeneutic within Biblical studies. Masters thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
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Abstract
In light of the current political climate there has been a notable increase in the presence of academic anarchist research. This year saw the second Anarchist Studies Network (ASN) conference hosted by the Centre for the Study of International Governance (CSIG) at Loughborough University. The CSIG produces notable academic journals in anarchist studies and Continuum Press has recently released the introductory volume in the first peer reviewed series on anarchism by a mainstream publishing house. This paper discusses Isaiah in relation to the political writings of Leo Tolstoy. I outline the parallels in their criticisms of human power structures and discuss their contrasting visions for society. I do this by examining prophetical images ‘Day of Lord’. It is my premise that the ‘Day of the Lord’ is a revolutionary process as it envisages a total overhaul of society and removal of the existing power structures and that Isaiah, in his role as a mediator of YHWH, acts to garner support for the revolution and encourage people to behave according to ideals of the revolution. I chiefly concern myself with how the revolutionary event is to be achieved and how the post-revolutionary society is to be organised. It is in discussing these questions that I engage the text with the works of Tolstoy. This leads me to question how political authority and power is presented in the text: how are the authorities of humans viewed in relation to the authority of YHWH? In discussing the authority of YHWH I must examine how YHWH’s position as the national figurehead of Israel is harnessed to raise patriotic and nationalist sentiment. The authority of YHWH is also relevant to my treatment of the widespread violence that is customary amongst prophetic imagery of the ‘Day of the Lord’.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Series: Carmarthen / Lampeter Dissertations;10412/287. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Tolstoy, Isaiah |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BS The Bible J Political Science > JC Political theory |
| Divisions: | Theses and Dissertations > Masters Dissertations |
| Depositing User: | John Dalling |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2014 18:03 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Sep 2024 15:56 |
| URI: | https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/435 |
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