Eric Voegelin

During his distinguished academic career Eric Voegelin was described as the most important philosopher of history and consciousness since Toynbee; similarly Voegelin has been interpreted by his critics using virtually every ideological label available: fascist communist liberal conservative existentialist fideist socialist reactionary Jew Catholic and Protestant. With startling new insights into the theoretical foundations of Voegelin's writings Heilke's gripping analysis and compelling conclusions demonstrate how his subject was primarily a philosopher in quest of reality and why no ideological category can grasp the core of such an intellectual journey.