The Problem of Evil and the Predicament of Theodicy
As Christians or theists we are moved to share the truth of God's love for humankind. But how can we speak of such providential care in a world rife with crime, war, racism, genocide, and even ecocide? In response to this predicament, a theodicy proposes a rational ""defense"" of God's goodness that offers consolation to victims and hope to all believers. Truths about Evil, Sin, and the Demonic provides a sweeping history of the discipline of theodicy that focuses on its strategic turning points and its possible future. Belitsos argues that, because of the atrocities of the last century and the threat of horrendous evils in the coming century, we need to marshal the most explanatory elements of all previous theodicies and then drive toward an ""integrative"" model based on a creative synthesis. The author also turns to a modern revelatory source that supports his argument for such a ""meta-theodicy."" He concludes by critically engaging with this source and the entire tradition in his call for an apophatically informed integral theodicy.
Industry Reviews
“Belitsos offers a unique synthesis that combines an advanced theologically grounded discourse with a subtle discussion of the spiritual teachings of Christianity throughout its history. His argument finds its completion in the Christ-centered evolutionary panentheism of The Urantia Book, the integral metatheory of Ken Wilber, and postmodern apophatic theology. This book should find an easy pass to the heart and mind of any student of historical theology, philosophy, and spirituality.”
—Sergey Trostyanskiy, coeditor of The Mystical Tradition of the Eastern Church
“There is no greater theological challenge than the question—the perpetual crisis—of evil. And there is no more lucid and gracious an account of this problem of theodicy than Belitsos here offers. Both scholarly and general readers will find his historical exposition invaluable. He then invites us into the revelatory adventure, cosmically scaled and intimately relevant, of an answering integral vision.”
—Catherine Keller, professor of constructive theology, Drew University
“Belitsos offers a fresh and wonderfully insightful overview of theodicy—brilliantly done!—and explains a philosophy we would do well to learn more about from The Urantia Book. The questions about good and evil that Belitsos raises are the pressing ones of our time, and his book is a substantial and impressive contribution to addressing them.”
—Marcia Pally, author of Commonwealth and Covenant
“Evil is a problem for theists; it compounds the mystery of God. In a selective but accurate way—beginning with the book of Job—Belitsos highlights turning points in the history of theodicy. His approach is open and ecumenical. He leaves ample room for mystery and yet brings clarity that transcends the typical claim of an ‘impasse.’ This well-written and thorough theological treatise really touches on topics vital to every thinking Christian at some point in their lives.”
—Roger Haight, SJ, former president, Catholic Theological Society
“Belitsos constructs an integrative theodicy which unequivocally embraces the goodness of God. This good God guides us along the path of soul-making until all potentials have become actuals and any remaining trace of evil and sin have disappeared from the grand universe. This is a remarkably comprehensive and thoughtful update on the problem of evil.”
—Ted Peters, distinguished research professor of systematic theology and ethics, Graduate Theological Union
“Given our present ‘global metacrisis,’ many are acutely asking: Whence all this suffering? Is there a deeply meaningful response that might result in a theodicy suitable for our time? Belitsos’s reply is to lean into this question with arguably one of the most comprehensive scholarly frameworks (integral meta-theory) presently available. In doing so, he provides for a more complex and unitive reading of our situation which merits considered attention and further source scrutiny.”
—Pádraic Hurley, lecturer in contemplative and developmental psychology, South East Technological University and St. Patrick’s College
“I want to recommend this book from an interfaith-interspiritual perspective. Today’s cosmopolitan experience of religion contains all the major crucible issues that Belitsos treats—evil, free will, purpose, providence, and more. He does a great job of looking at these in the context of an ecumenical treatment of all branches of Christianity.”
—Kurt Johnson, co-author of The Coming Interspiritual Age
“The problem of evil only becomes more monumental with each passing day, each passing month, each passing year. There are few subject
