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Evil and the God of love

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The author traces the history of thought about theodicy, first by looking at the Western teaching largely started by Augustine. It sometimes seems as if a lot of our present problems with Christianity are Augustine's fault - his views on sexuality in particular. Augustine's universe is one that is good. Evil is the absence of good and has to be there if man is to have the capacity of moral choice. In the grand scheme of things, evil is good in that it enables greater good, that which is freely chosen - hence the 'felix culpa' of Adam. The surgeon has to cut into that good may come out of it. Obliteration bombing was necessary in Dresden in order to get at military establishments flesh - the end justifies the means. Put like that, the view becomes, to me, repugnant. The universe appears to be run by a calculating deity who gets his sums right but causes a lot of pain on the way. It might work out OK for God but we don't see the whole picture (yet?) and the sum is far from being balanced for us, from our perspective.

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Availability

171114916

231.8 HIC e

Z. HANDIMAN

Available

Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

231.8 HIC e

Publisher

New York : Harper & Row., 1966

Collation

xii, 403p.; 22 cm.

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

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Classification

231.8

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

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Subject(s)

EVIL, EXISTENCE

Specific Detail Info

c

Statement of Responsibility

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