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Golem and Leviathan: Judaic Sources of Thomas Hobbes's Political Theology In the article, the Authors point out that Hobbes's political philosophy (and in fact theology) in the heterodox layer is inspired not only by Judeo-Christianity, but also by rabbinic Judaism. According to them, only adopting such a Judaic and in a sense syncretistic perspective enabled Hobbes to come to such radical conclusions, hostile towards the Catholic and Calvinist conceptions of the state and the Church. In their argument they focused on three elements that are most important for Hobbesian concept of sovereignty: the covenant between YHWH and the Chosen People, the concept of the Kingdom of God, salvation and the afterlife, and the concept of a messiah.

Just war versus holy war. The doctrinal issues of the historical confrontation In the first part of their article, the Authors outline the relations between the meaning of realism, pacifism, and the notion of just war. They claim that the premises of realism and pacifism are included in the notion of just war and analyze the content of the latter as stated by the ancient as well as medieval Christian tradition. It includes the insights of Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, and others. The notion of just war that all these thinkers supported had a universal dimension and combined the justified reasons for war, the way it should be conducted and its true end which was the lasting and just peace. The Authors indicate that in the Middle Ages this notion was radically challenged by the idea of holy war. The thinkers who promoted it (Guibert of Nogent, Robert the Monk, Bernard of Clairvaux) rejected the universal normative force of the notion of just war. In fact, they applied it exclusively to the relations among Christian nations. Those who were not Christians, that is, Muslims as well as pagans, were to be considered not the subjects of war efforts but rather their objects. As such, they were to be defeated and destroyed, as the Muslims confronted by the crusaders or to be converted to Christianity by force as the Northern and Eastern European pagans invaded by the Teutonic Order.

In constitutional law textbooks the American constitution is regarded as an example of the implementation of the Enlightenment concept of political order. In this respect it is contrasted with the British constitution. However, for Edmund Burke there was an important similarity between the two constitutions. For this old Whig, the Constitution of the United States was an integral branch of the British constitution that grew out of the unique circumstances existing in the American colonies. The authors analyse Edmund Burke's argument through the lens of his concept of the constitution, the political philosophy of the Founding Fathers, and a comparison of American and British institutions.