Politics and Culture Are Downstream of Anthropology and Theology

Dr. Richard Clements argues that politics and culture both stem from deeper religious and theological foundations. While journalist Andrew Breitbart suggested that politics is influenced by culture, Clements notes that thinkers like political philosopher Russell Kirk viewed culture as an outgrowth of religion.

According to Clements, Kirk and historians such as Christopher Dawson, Eric Voegelin, and Arnold Toynbee observed that human communities grow from the association of worshippers attempting to commune with a transcendent power. This religious bond enables cooperation in various societal sectors, including agriculture, architecture, the arts, economic distribution, and government. Consequently, Clements suggests that culture flows from theology, which in turn shapes politics.