EBOOK
The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition
From the Book of Job to Modern Genetics
Joseph F. Kelly(0)
About
The question of evil presents a profound challenge to humanity - why do we do what we know to be wrong? This is especially a challenge to religious believers. Why doesn't an al-good and omnipotent God step in and put an end to evil? The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition examines how Western thinkers have dealt with the problem of evil, starting in ancient Israel and tracing the question through post-biblical Judaism, Early Christianity (especially in Africa), the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and to the twenty-first century when science has raised new and important issues. Joseph Kelly covers the book of Job, the book of Revelation, Augustine of Hippo, Aquinas, Luther, Maslow, Milton, Voltaire, Hume, Mary Shelley, Darwin, Jung, Flannery O'Connor, Karl Rahner, Teilhard de Chardin, and modern geneticists. Chapters are Some Perspectives on Evil," oIsrael and Evil, oThe New Adam, oOut of Africa, oThe Broken Cosmos, oThe Middle Ages, oDecline and Reform of Humanism, oThe Devil's Last Stand, oRationalizing Evil, oThe Attack on Christianity, oDissident Voices, oHuman Evil in the Nineteenth Century, oScience, Evil, and Original Sin, oModern Literary Approaches to Evil, oSome Scientific Theories of Evil, and oModern Religious Approaches to Evil.
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Reviews
"Joseph Kelly's description and analysis of 'Evil' offers the reader a challenging and provocative journey through the corridors of the 'Western Tradition,' be it religion, literature, art, economics, politics, philosophy, or science. With an always interesting, lucid narrative, Kelly offers a critique securely anchored in an historical context. This book is a truly exciting instrument of learning
Harry Rosenberg, Colorado State University
"It is cogent, up-to-date, and very clearly written. I learned a great deal from it throughout. . . . It's a very important, excellent and really needed book."
Jeffrey B. Russell, University of California
". . . provides a fast-moving and sweeping survey of the myriad approaches to the mystery of evil in the Western tradition. The book is a timely, worthwhile contribution. . . . What is unique to Kelly's work is his wide-ranging inclusion of literary classics that have evil as their theme: Dante, Marlowe, Milton, Pope, Goethe, M. Shelley, Dostoyevsky, and others."
America