Political Theology of International Order challenges the widely accepted view that international order is a secular arrangement that makes no meaningful contact with religion. It argues that accepted ways of thinking about international relations—anarchy, balance of power, constitutionalism, contractual international law, and so forth—reflect a theological pattern that is rooted in a medieval debate about God’s nature and the extent of his power.

William Bain is Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, the author of Political Theology of International Order, and the Editor-in-Chief of International Relations. He is actively engaged in research and teaching that is concentrated in the areas of international relations, international political theory, and the history of ideas. He is particularly interested in the place of religion in the theory and practice of international relations.