RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION AND IMMIGRATION IN SPINOZA’S POLITICAL TREATISE
RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION AND IMMIGRATION IN SPINOZA’S POLITICAL TREATISE

Summary/Abstract: What does Spinoza tell us about immigration, and how does this connect to the fundamental tenets of his philosophy? In this article, I will argue that the striving for collective liberation that guides Spinoza’s political philosophy is based on an inclusive impetus favourable to the welcoming and integration of migrants, and that the laws and institutions that facilitate this objective can gain the support of the people if their imagination is governed by the precepts of “true religion”. Furthermore, I will argued that Christ‑inspired religious imagination is most likely to promote the goal of peace, safety and harmony among the options considered by Spinoza. This will help us better understand the many continuities between the TTP and TP on the role of religion, as well as highlight the difference marked by Spinoza’s focus on charitas as a universal value and abandonment of justitia as an integral part of the essence of true religion.

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