T&t Clark Handbook Of Suffering And The Problem Of Evil

This wide-ranging work provides an extensive exploration of the theology of theodicy, asking questions such as: should all instances of suffering necessarily be understood as evil? Why would an omnipotent and benevolent God allow or perpetrate evil? Is God unable or unwilling to reduce human and non-human suffering on Earth? Does humanity have the capacity to exercise a moral evaluation of God’s motives and intentions?

Conventional disciplinary boundaries have tended to separate theological approaches to these questions from philosophical ones. This volume aims to overcome these boundaries by including biblical (Part I), historical (Part II), doctrinal (Part III), philosophical (Part IV), and pastoral, interreligious perspectives and alternative intersections (Part V) on theodicy.

Authors include thinkers from analytic and continental traditions, multiple Christian denominations and other religions, and both established and younger scholars, providing a full variety of approaches. What unites the essays is an attempt to answer these questions from the perspective of biblical testimony, historical scholarship, modern theological and philosophical thinking about the concept of God, non-Christian religions, science and the arts. The result is a combination of in-depth analysis and breadth of scope, making this a benchmark work for further studies in the theology of suffering and evil.

Preface
List of Figures
Preface: Theology, Conversation, and Friendship
Abbreviations

1. Introduction: Suffering and the Problem of Evil, Johannes Grössl (University of Würzburg, Germany)


PART I: BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES

2. Moses: the Suffering Servant, Mark Scarlata (St. Mellitus College, UK)
3. Suffering and the Problem of Evil in the Prophets, John Barton (University of Oxford, UK)
4. The Book of Job, Katharine Dell (University of Cambridge, UK)
5. Suffering and the Quest for its Causes in the Psalms, Erhard S. Gerstenberger (University of Marburg, Germany)
6. Covenant Faith and Qohelet’s Question. John Goldingay (Fuller Theological Seminary, USA)
7. Wrath in the Bible, Peter J. Leithart (Theopolis Institute, UK)
8. "The Lord Is in Your Midst" (Zeph. 3:15) Righteous Suffering in the Synoptic Gospels, Pheme Perkins (Boston College, USA)
9. The Gospel of John, David Ford (University of Cambridge, UK)
10. Paul - Suffering as a Cosmic Problem, T.J. Lang (University of St. Andrews, UK)
11. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Bryan R. Dyer (Calvin University, USA)
12. The Book of Revelation, Joseph L. Mangina (University of Toronto, Canada)

PART II: HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY FIGURES

13. Irenaeus and Origen, Mark S. M. Scott (Stonehill College, USA)
14. Gregory of Nyssa, Alexander L. Abecina (University of Cambridge, UK)
15. Augustine, Lydia Schumacher (King’s College, UK)
16. Thomas Aquinas, Brian Davies (Fordham University, USA)
17. Dante, Rachel Teubner (Australian Catholic University, Australia)
18. Julian of Norwich, Rachel Muers (University of Edinburgh, UK)
19. Martin Luther, Simeon Zahl (University of Cambridge, UK)
20. John Calvin, James N. Anderson (Reformed Theological Seminary, USA)
21. Richard Hooker, Paul Dominiak (University of Cambridge, UK)
22. G.W.F. Leibniz, Alex Englander (University of Bonn, Germany)
23. Immanuel Kant, Alex Englander (University of Bonn, Germany)
24. Friedrich Schleiermacher, Shelli M. Poe (Iliff School of Theology, USA)
25. Søren Kierkegaard, Sean Turchin (Liberty University