Worldly Saint, Political Saint: Revisiting the Christian Notion of Holiness

Abstract

Christians seem to have more difficulty imagining the interconnection between holiness and politics than Muslims, who largely accept involvement in worldly affairs, including politics, as part of their piety. As a result, a saint who is actively involved in politics would hardly be recognizable to Christians. This article utilizes a comparative lens to draw insights from Muslim and Christian perspectives on saints and sainthood. First, the case of Abdurrahman Wahid concretely illustrates the Muslim concept of a saint. Second, for the Christian part, Karl Rahner’s and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theologies of saints offer a more appreciative approach toward politics. Finally, the insights drawn from the comparison serve as theological rationales for revisiting the dominant Christian notion of holiness.