Problem of Evil

Robert Arp is a research analyst for the US Army.Benjamin W. McCraw teaches philosophy at University of South Carolina Upstate.

• IntroductionRobert Arp and Benjamin W. McCrawPart I: The Nature of Evil1Is Pure Evil Possible?Hugo Strandberg2The Problem of Evil in the Speculative Mysticism of Meister EckhartGregory S. Moss3Evil by NobodiesJennifer Mei Sze AngPart II: The Problem of Evil4Pursuing Pankalia: The Aesthetic Theodicy of St. AugustineA. G. Holdier5On the Impossibility of Omnimalevolence: Plantinga on Tooley's New Evidential Argument from EvilEdward N. Martin6Epistemic Evil, Divine Hiddenness, and Soul MakingBenjamin W. McCraw7What the Hell is God Up To? God’s Evils and the Theodicies Holding God ResponsibleJohn ShookPart III: Beyond the Problem of Evil8Mystic Terror and Metaphysical Rebels: Active Evil and Active Love in Schelling and DostoevskyJames M. McLachlan9Redemptive SufferingNeal Judisch10Predatory Goodness in the Discourse on Evil among Anglo-American Philosophers of ReligionNathan Loewen

The sheer variety of essays in this volume demonstrates the plethora of entry points into approaching the problem of evil in contemporary philosophy of religion and philosophical theology, resulting in an increase in specialized studies on particular theoretical and historical aspects of the problem of evil…. This book’s eclectic collection of essays reflects this reality…. Without a doubt the best part of this volume is the Introduction by editors Robert Arp and Benjamin W. McGraw. Together they ably survey ‘the landscape of philosophical (or religious, theological, etc.) thought about evil’ (17). In particular, Arp and McGraw detail ‘The Nature of Evil’ (1-6), ‘The Problem of Evil’ (6-10), ‘Responses to the Problem of Evil’ (10-15), and ‘The Meta-Problem of Evil’ (15-18). These pages cover the main theoretical issues concisely and would serve well as an introduction to the problem of evil in philosophy courses. Overall, The Problem of Evil will appeal to specialists on the problem of evil and theodicy, and especially to philosophers.