自由民主政體需要前政治要素的支持嗎？論伯肯弗德箴言之意涵及其當代意義

本文擬從當代德國國家學學者伯肯弗德(Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, 1930-2019)關於宗教與國家之關係的討論出發，探討前政治要素在世俗化的現代世界裡對於國家是否仍具有公共意義？若有的話，是什麼樣的公共意義，及其對於現代政治（特別是自由民主政體）可否帶來積極意義？
本文首先耙梳伯肯弗德三個時期探討前政治要素與現代自由國家關係的文本，並試圖將文本置於每一時期德國的政治、社會或公共討論的脈絡下加以理解，並指出作為其畢生之作(oeruvre)之伯肯弗德箴言，存在著不同時期之變與不變。此變與不變，與時空背景、與伯肯弗德論述時之主要訴求對象，及與伯肯弗德的國家觀有關。不同於國外學者晚近的主流看法，作者將以保守自由主義的立場詮釋並定位伯肯弗德箴言。最後並將從政治理論層面思考伯肯弗德箴言迄今仍具有之可能的啟發及其當代意義。

Building upon the seminal contributions of German constitutional jurist Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde (1930-2019) to the discourse on the symbiosis between religion and the state, this article aims to scrutinize the ongoing relevance and public import of pre-political elements within the sociopolitical structure of a secularized, modern world. Specifically, it interrogates the types of public significance these pre-political elements might still hold and evaluates whether such elements could positively influence the political frameworks of modern politics, particularly those of liberal democracies.
Initially, this paper undertakes a chronological examination of Böckenförde’s corpus, segmenting it into three distinct periods. Within each epoch, the analysis focuses on elucidating the relationship between pre-political elements and the modern liberal state. It aims to contextualize Böckenförde’s writings within the prevailing political, social, and public discourses in Germany. Moreover, this paper identifies both continuities and shifts in Böckenförde’s oeuvre—most notably his seminal proposition, known as“the Böckenförde dictum”—from one period to another. As will be demonstrated, these dynamics of change and stability are intricately linked to the evolving historical contexts, the primary foci of Böckenförde’s intellectual engagement, and his conceptualization of the state.
Contrary to the prevailing interpretative frameworks, this article repositions Böckenförde’s perspectives on state neutrality and the church-state relationship within a conservative-liberal paradigm. In conclusion, it contemplates the contemporary relevance and potential heuristic value of the Böckenförde dictum from the vantage points of political theory.