In the current situation of empire, subjectivity and desire are shaped in new ways, often unconsciously. The analysis of these mechanisms is geared to identifying alternative possibilities for the formation of subjectivity and desire, pointing beyond the structures of empire. If there is a notion of transcendence that operates in the current embodiments of empire, empire cannot be understood without religious categories. Contemporary manifestations of Empire insist on the ideals of the republic and of democracy. How do the religious connotations of these notions shift and how can religious reflection help us develop new perspectives on political ethics?