Nowhere is Better than Here: The Strengths and Weaknesses of Early Sixteenth Century Utopias

This article examines the utopian vision present in the eponymous work by Thomas More and in the early Anabaptists. In the light of the discussion on the power and dangers of utopian thinking in liberation theology it seeks to show how More struggled with the tension between the positive possibiliti...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Noble, Tim (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Sciendo, De Gruyter 2018
In: Perichoresis
Year: 2018, Volume: 16, Issue: 1, Pages: 3-20
RelBib Classification:CG Christianity and Politics
CH Christianity and Society
KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance
KDB Roman Catholic Church
KDG Free church
Further subjects:B Anabaptists Thomas More utopianism liberation theology hope
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
Volltext (Verlag)
Description
Summary:This article examines the utopian vision present in the eponymous work by Thomas More and in the early Anabaptists. In the light of the discussion on the power and dangers of utopian thinking in liberation theology it seeks to show how More struggled with the tension between the positive possibilities of a different world and the destructive criticism of the present reality. A similar tension is found in early Anabaptist practices, especially in terms of their relationship to the state and their practice of commonality of goods. The article shows that that all attempts to reduce visions of a better world to a particular setting end up as ideological.
ISSN:2284-7308
Contains:In: Perichoresis
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2478/perc-2018-0001