Mini-Review
Israel and Revelation by Eric Voegelin (1956). Volume I of Order and History.
Choice quote: "A Prophet can hear and communicate the word of God, but he is neither a Philosopher or a Saint."
Josef Pieper writes thick and thin books: books that are short but packed. Eric Voegelin wrote a five-volume set that is thick and thick: Order and History. I'll never have a reading experience like Voegelin's. I read nothing but Voegelin for nearly a year, and Order and History occupied most of those twelve months. But it was worth it. Reading has a way to seep into your mind whether you're conscious of it or not. The thread between revelation and philosophy grows into a strong rope in Voegelin's hands. Prophet and Saint and Philosopher. They're all different, but they have a common ground: they're aware of the transcendent. That transcendental triumvirate stands athwart modern culture, which is mired in a mundane mud we're stuck with after the Reformation shattered Christendom, leaving a barren land, and the Enlightenment poured water all over it without first fertilizing or planting any seeds. It's necessary to get out of the mud, one soul at a time. Voegelin isn't a good place to start for those who want to clean themselves up. He's too complicated. But his books are like buckets of clean water dumped over your head.
