Julian of Norwich and the Problem of Evil

Häftad, Engelska, 2024

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Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love grapples with the same fundamental question that has vexed philosophers and theologians since the advent of monotheistic religion, and continues as a barrier to belief for many today. Namely, if God is so good, how can natural disaster, genocide, trauma - and my present suffering - occur? Historically, there have been two apparently very different approaches to the problem: the pastoral, or practical, on the one hand and the systematic on the other. Richard Norton, however, suggests that these two lines of thought may not be as separate as they seem, and may indeed be dependent on one another for their cohesion. Drawing on Julian's medieval experience of personal and population-wide suffering, alongside that of more recent theologians such as Dorothy Solle and Jürgen Moltmann, Norton constructs a compassionate model of theodicy that can be of use to both pastoral and systematic theologians. Throughout, he remains sensitive to the raw atrocity of evil, while preserving a vision of God as the one who ensures that all shall be well.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2024-04-25
Mått232 x 156 x 12 mm
Vikt282 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieLutterworth Press
Antal sidor174
FörlagBoydell & Brewer Ltd
ISBN9780718896157

Tillhör följande kategorier

Religion: allmänt inom Filosofi och religion
Litteraturvetenskap inom Skönlitteratur
Kristendom inom Filosofi och religion

Richard Norton is an independent theologian who has taught systematic theology and Church history in a variety of settings around the world. He is a member of the International Society for the Study of Mysticism, the American Academy of Religion, the Medieval Academy of America and the Royal Society of Arts. He is a Companion of Julian of Norwich and has written widely on her theology, ethics and Christology.

Preface ixIntroduction 11. Why the Problem of Evil is a Problem 9Possible Replies to the Epicurean Trilemma 10Additional Difficulties for Theodicy 132. Pastoral versus Theoretical Theodicy 15Critiques of Theoretical Approaches to the Problem of Evil 16Contemporary Distinctions and Debates 32Pastoral Responses to Suffering 53Conclusions 683. Key Issues in Modern Theodicy 73The Problem of Abandoning Traditional Theoretical Theodicy 74Towards a Defence of Traditional Theoretical Theodicy 79Does God Suffer? 82God's Compassion 86Destructive Suffering and Some Responses 90Conclusions 954. Julian of Norwich and the Problem of Evil 97Sin and Human Nature 98Human Bodies, Suffering and Evil 104The Motherhood of God in Christ 109Compassion 113Conclusions 1175. God, Suffering and Eschatology in Julian of Norwich 119Julian and Affliction 119Julian's Eschatology 122Towards a Julian Theodicy 128Conclusion 135Bibliography 141Julian of Norwich: Editions of Revelations of Divine Love 141Julian of Norwich and Theodicy 141Julian of Norwich: Books, Articles and Other Writings 143Contemporary Debates on the Problem of Evil 149Index 155

1. Norton is among Julian scholars who argue that Julian's use of the trope of Motherhood in God is much more than a reflection of feminine experience; he argues it is not only an integral part of her theology but particularly of her theodicy; that she uses this metaphor deliberately to emphasize the divine compassion in relation to evil; and 'Christ's passion is the supreme manifestation of divine love' because it demonstrates 'overwhelming compassion for all victims,' especially in regard to the lack of anger in God." - The Order of Julian of Norwich, White Lake WI, USA, from their newsletter, February, 20242. "With persuasive argument, Richard Norton presents the heated debate between theoretical and pastoral theodicy and argues for a more integral approach to the problems of evil, sin and suffering, based on the theology of divine mercy and unconditional love in the Revelations of Julian of Norwich. A most compelling contribution!" - Veronica Mary Rolf, Author of Julian's Gospel and An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich3. "For Norton, Julian's theodicy, which arises from the images and interpretation of her revelation of divine love, seems to crack his modern concern with the various approaches to the problem of evil and the goodness of God set out in the first half of the book. Yet this is a stimulating read for both the Julian scholar and the modern theologian." - Emma Pennington, Canterbury Cathedral In Theology, Volume 127, Issue 2, March, 2024