Workshop, "Theocracy"

Speakers
Samuel Brody
Julie Cooper
Randi Rashkover
Dylan Shaul
Ori Werdiger
 

Workshop, "Theocracy"
 In the Bible, when the Israelites asked Gideon to be their king, he replied, "I will not rule over you myself, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD alone shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23). What exactly is the rule of God (or Theocracy)? Is it direct or is it mediated by prophets like Moses, or the Priests? Why were the Israelites apparently unable to live without a king? Is theocracy still a possible or desirable form of government or is it just a pretext for religious authorities to take over the state? This workshop will consider the modern understanding and critical revival of this ancient theological-political idea.

This event is co-sponsored by the Grafstein Chair in Jewish Philosophy.

 
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This workshop will be delivered in-person at JHB100. To attend, please arrive at the venue on Sunday, November 6, at 10AM.

 
Related Events:
Book Panel
When: Monday, November 7, 2022, 12:00 - 1:30PM
Location: Jackman Humanities Building, Room 100, 170 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5R 2M8

Featuring Samuel Hayim Brody's Martin Buber's Theopolitics and Randi Rashkover's Nature and Norm: Judaism, Christianity and the Theopolitical Problem.

 
ATCJS Lecture
When: Monday, November 7, 2022, 4:00 - 6:00PM
Location: Jackman Humanities Building, Room 100, 170 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5R 2M8

Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Israel Exchange Scholar

Julie Cooper (Tel Aviv University)

"Spinoza vs. the Kahal: The Zionist Critique of Spinoza's Politics"
The 1920s and 30s witnessed an explosion of interest in Spinoza among Zionist intellectuals. In this lecture, I will study the Hebrew literature on Spinoza written in this period, focusing on the work of Nahum Sokolow and Jakob Klatzkin. The reflexive equation of nation and state has led scholars to conclude that Zionists were drawn to Spinoza because he justified state sovereignty. Yet, as I will demonstrate, Eastern European Zionists rejected Spinoza’s sovereignty-centered political thought – precisely because it denies political standing to non-sovereign bodies such as the diasporic Jewish community.

This event is co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy.