The Experiment of the Coming Kingdom A Dominican Political Theology after Agamben

Giorgio Agamben's exploration in the Homo Sacer series is a profound re-evaluation of the intricate relationship between human beings and the realm of laws, regulations, and political institutions. Agamben's interest in religious life was piqued by the historical discussions concerning how religious communities interacted with (canon) law, aiming to identify strategies applicable in our contemporary context to establish a new connection between humanity and the law. This study explores the intricacies of Dominican religious life, aiming to embody a messianic hope for God's kingdom. It explores the human capacity for freedom and discipleship as a unique divine vocation. Furthermore, it notices an alignment of the Dominican tradition with Agamben's vision of law serving a higher mission. Finally, it suggests that the Dominican life presents an experimental prefiguration of harmonious coexistence of law and freedom, offering a potential unity between the two elements in the context of the coming kingdom.