Justice, Virtue and Prophecy in Antonio Enríquez Gómez`s Política Angélica

Antonio Enríquez Gómez (1600-1663) is one of the most mysterious and heterodox writer of the Golden Age’s Spanish literature. The author passed most part of his life escaping from the Holy Office and, because of political and religious reasons, finally he decided to go into exile in France from 1636 to 1649. Even if he was closely integrated to the Marrano’s community in Rouen, he decided to go back to Spain, where he wrote under the name of Fernando de Zárate his works, such as the hagiographic commedies inspired in the New Testament. Unfortunately he was arrested and died in Seville’s prison. The aim of this paper is to study the Política angélica (1647), a very complex text dealing with the hope of a best and more equal society, apart from the different religions and social class. The author’s point of view is severe and conceives the virtue from a stoic perspective. Israël Salvador Révah transcribes in 1962 two dialogues of the second edition of Enríquez Gómez’s work; I’m finishing the critical edition of the five dialogues of the first edition. Beyond the differences with the Portuguese Jesuit Antonio Vieira, the paper will present the cultural syncretism of the Política angélica, the contaminations with different cultural traditions, the prophetism that promise a common salvation in a peaceful, happy, harmonious and equal society.