Encountering Evil: Live Options in Theodicy

by Stephen T. Davis (Editor), John B. Cobb Jr. (Afterward), David R. Griffin (Contributor)

Eight prominent philosophers and theologians confront the problems posed by natural and human evil for theistic belief. Each thinker sets out his or her theodicy and its connections to current social and philosophical debates. The other contributors then offer critiques of each theodicy, to which its author subsequently responds. The result is a valuable introduction to philosophical and theological perspectives on contemporary evil and to the nature of discourse in the philosophy of religion.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Religion

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1981

Reviews

[Marc Shefelton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting read,but there are much better options for the subject.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good if you just want white, male perspectives.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe if you area a philosopher of religion, you would rank the book higher. It is an okay read, but the subject matter is one that really forces me to concentrate and I don't know that I follow all the nuances of the arguments.
Basic idea is how one might live with the beliefs that God is good, God is all powerful and evil exists in the world; can all three statements be true. Five philosophers outline how they reconcile these statements--or alter them--to fit their understanding of life, especially with catastrophic events such as the Holocaust. If the book was updated, I bet September 11, 2001 would be addressed--but then again, evil, like sin, is a word disappearing from common vocabulary.

I'm not sure if the arguments would cause readers to change their views or just reinforce what they do/do not believe as they journey through a life on earth where good and bad things do happen.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection, while a little bit dated now, contains discussions of a variety of different types of theodicy that are available to Christians in the present day. The strength of the volume is that it presents a balanced perspective on the different options with the strengths and weaknesses of each position discussed. There is an excellent discussion of each option and how the theologian/philosopher is wrestling with issues around good and evil. However, the language at times can be quite philosophical and intricate, so this book does not present a casual read on the topic. On the other hand, the authors tend to bring a great deal of clarity to the salient features of each theodicy. This book covers five types of theodicy: protest, Irenaen, free-will defense, process, and a move away from theodicy altogether. Overall, this collection is valuable and will be welcomed by those considering this topic at a deep level.

[Rafael Reyes III · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a wonderful compilation of professors in philosophy of religion on the discussion of theodicy. The book is an excellent introduction to the authors and their work, and this is the first book of its kind.

The editor, Dr. Stephen Davis, is professor at Claremont McKenna College. I have taken his philosophy of religion course. Great introduction.

[Michael Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not even a Christian, or even a theist, and still it gives me hope to see these philosophers of religion going at it all "hammer and tongs" about a concept so central to their respective theologies. Wondrous stuff!