Between Athens and Jerusalem: Philosophy, Prophecy, and Politics in Leo Strauss's Early Thought (Suny Series in the Thought and Legacy of Leo Strauss)

Examines the early works of German-Jewish political philosopher Leo Strauss (1899?1973).

Praised as a major political thinker of the twentieth century and vilified as the putative godfather of contemporary neoconservatism, Leo Strauss (1899?1973) has been the object of heated controversy both in the United States and abroad. This book offers a more balanced appraisal by focusing on Strauss?s early writings. By means of a close and comprehensive study of these texts, David Janssens reconstructs the genesis of Strauss?s thought from its earliest beginnings until his emigration to the United States in 1937. He discusses the first stages in Strauss?s grappling with the ?theological-political problem,? from his doctoral dissertation on Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi to his contributions to Zionist periodicals, from his groundbreaking study of Spinoza?s critique of religion to his research on Moses Mendelssohn, and from his rediscovery of medieval Jewish and Islamic philosophy to his research on Hobbes. Throughout, Janssens traces Strauss?s rediscovery of the Socratic way of life as a viable alternative to both modern philosophy and revealed religion.

??the best attempt to date to make sense of the early Strauss and trace the development of his thought on the relation between religion, politics, and philosophy.? ? Review of Politics

?In revising and enlarging a book that was originally written and published in Dutch for Europeans, the author has done a good job of addressing himself and his account to Americans. This is a major and serious scholarly contribution to the vibrant ongoing study and interpretation of Strauss?s thought. It adds a whole new dimension to the discussion of Strauss and will greatly deepen and broaden the understanding of him in the English-speaking world.? ? Thomas L. Pangle, author of Leo Strauss: An Introduction to His Thought and Intellectual Legacy

?An extremely helpful introduction to the major themes of Strauss?s thought for both students and scholars, as well as a compelling demonstration of the light his early European work sheds on the themes of his more familiar American work.? ?  Nathan Tarcov, author of Locke?s Education for Liberty