Dante Alighieri: Christian Unity, Empire, & Community

O’Donovan, Oliver and Joan Lockward O’Donovan, Editors. From Irenaeus to Grotius: A Sourcebook in Christian Political Thought. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1999)

Drawing upon a philosophical foundation rooted in the naturalistic tradition of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, Averroes neoplatonism, and an overly romanticized existential interpretation of Roman historians and poets, Dante Alighieri seeks to unify human purpose and political community under the headship of a monarchy he claims is necessary for a perfect world order. Dante’s argument is based on three core principles. 1) Universal monarchy bears the potential of a unified intellectual substance necessary for full moral and artistic actualization in human and political community. 2) Divine ordination of Roman rulership as evidenced by the placement of Christ’s atonement in time and space under the virtue of Roman law was necessary for the universal reach of law to embrace all mankind. 3) Unified leadership under the church cannot be attained because of the disparate reaches of priestly and royal functions and thus necessitates the independent foundation of universal empire in order to accomplish any earthly political good.

Tracing the logical progression of Dante’s Monarchia it is clear that Dante bases his argument in the sovereignty of God and the purpose that everything brought into existence has some purpose to serve. Dante argues that man’s intellect and being coincide in an eternal existence (since man is surely eternal) and thus must have some purpose in operating without pause (since ‘eternal’ implies operation without pause by its very raison d’etre). It can thus be inferred that man’s existence serves an intellectual purpose, or at least has intellectual capacity and potential. Since mankind cannot achieve this potential individually, the capacity serves a universal purpose of collective political and artistic engagement in creation through the broader scope of human community.

How does this community form and function? That is the question Dante seeks to answer. He seems to suggest that it can only be achieved through universal peace and concord, which are the conditions necessary for the advancement of human flourishing. Hebrews 2:7. The question then becomes how can universal peace be achieved? Dante argues through absolute justice. Absolute justice can only be represented in absolute monarchy. Thus, absolute monarchy is necessary for the world. (417)

In ever scale of community rulership is inherently demanded for the successful operation of that community and for its flourishing. As part of its nature, a community must have a head; that is, one who rises above the others without qualification and whose word must be obeyed in order to provide mutual sustenance. Equality itself was issued as curse to humanity, endowing every community with certain unequal justice. Thus is the paradox. With equality comes inequality. And in unequal societies flourishing prevails. (416) Existentially this is proved time and time again. Examples proving the political and economic success of one extreme are all the great empires. Examples proving the demise of the other extreme found in socialist-based political states.

There are three major flaws with this entire line of reasoning.

1)Dante bases his argument that universal peace is “the most excellent means to securing our happiness.” (415)

2) He has no account for the opposite scenario based in an accurate understanding of humanity’s fallen nature in a postlasparian world. One who has born out the potential for ultimate good has equal propensity for ultimate corruption. The higher one climbs on the ladder, the longer and harder the fall. Look no further than the Roman Empire.

3) Dante misplaces his political foundation’s manifestation. Given the right conditions and the rare chance that the first two points are achieved, the physical manifestation of this Monarchia cannot be achieved through humanity. Rather, it is Christ who is the absolute monarch, ruling over creation in just the same way as Dante’s earthly emperor. The principle is right, but the structure and person is wrong.

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1. To what end is the nature of human community? What does Dante say about the foundational basis formation of humanity?

2. What does Dante say is the nature of man and how does this influence his perspective of collective humanity

3. Is Dante’s interpretation of Luke 2:1, Gal 4:4 amd John 19:23 which he uses as Biblical justification for the Roman Empire and peace as highest order correct?

4. Dante says, “it is in the quietude or tranquility of peace that mankind finds the best conditions for fulfilling its proper task.” Is this Biblical?