The relation of politics, theology and religion in Plato

Since Antiquity, Plato's thoughts on politics and theology have received considerable scholarly attention. However, research that examines Plato's thoughts on politics, theology, and religion together has been scant. This study examines the relation of politics and theology in Plato's writings and the role he assigns to city-state religion in this relationship. Furthermore, it presents the conclusion that Plato is the starting point of the politics-theology dichotomy. Plato's philosophy evolved at a time in which Athens was passing through a political, moral, and religious crisis. Plato criticized the traditional anthropomorphic gods of the Greek city-state religion and in contrast, developed a more rational idea of the divine. In doing this, the bond of theology and philosophy was strengthened. Nonetheless, uncertainties arose as to how Plato's newly developed but distant gods relate to the functions, rituals, and laws of the city-state. This research examines the difficulties encountered with the unity of politics, religion, and theology that emerged from Plato's changing idea of god. This study engages Friedrich Solmsen's work Plato's Theology, which stands out among the literature. It criticizes Solmsen's claim that the city-state religion envisaged by Plato is "secular, rational, philosophical". It is evident that Plato's city-state religion is more rational and philosophical than traditional Greek city-state religion. Nevertheless, it is not possible to refer to Plato's thought and intension as "secular" because this is an inappropriate and anachronistic category that presupposes an evolved duality of politics and theology. The conclusion shows that Plato's thought introduces a duality upon which later debates on secularism arise. Keywords: Plato, politics, theology, religion, law