Law and the Leap in Being in Voegelin’s Philosophy

Abstract

The article presents Eric Voegelin’s legal-philosophical thought in the context of his efforts to reflect on the transcendent dimension of being. According to Voegelin, the law provides a prospect for a symbolic expression of one’s attunement to the transcendent. The experience with transcendence empowers man to discern the normative Ought and to create its representative model in the form of legal-political order. At the heart of this concept is the premise of the transformative conversion of the human soul, leading to insight into the true order of being. Finally, the paper reflects on Voegelin’s unique interpretation of the relationship between law and Gnosticism, defined by the rejection of transcendent reality.