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Evil And the Justice of Godx$10.96
  (22 reviews)
Best Price: $24.00 $10.96
With every earthquake and war, understanding the nature of evil and our response to it becomes more urgent. Evil is no longer the concern just of ministers and theologians but also of politicians and the media. We hear of child abuse, ethnic cleansing, AIDS, torture and terrorism, and rightfully we are shocked. But, N. T. Wright says, we should not be surprised. For too long we have naively believed in the modern idea of human progress. In contrast, postmodern thinkers have rightly argued that evil is real, powerful and important, but they give no real clue as to what we should do about it. In fact, evil is more serious than either our culture or our theology has supposed. How then might Jesus' death be the culmination of the Old Testament solution to evil but on a wider and deeper scale than most imagine? Can we possibly envision a world in which we are delivered from evil? How might we work toward such a future through prayer and justice in the present? These are the powerful and pressing themes that N. T. Wright addresses in this book that is at once timely and timeless.
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Customer Reviews
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A Practical, Christian Approach to Contemporary Evil
By A3J7CFLNGT844W on 2006-12-12
Wright's book was developed out of five lectures he delivered at Westminster Abbey in 2003 and, in summary form, through a television program which first screened in the U.K. on Easter Day 2005. Its approach is biblical, practical, even intuitive, but not philosophical. As he states in his preface after reflecting on the recent natural disasters caused by tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes and the 9/11 attacks: "They are a reminder that 'the problem of evil' is not something we will 'solve' in the present world, and that our primary task is not so much to give answers to impossible philosophical questions as to bring signs of God's new world to birth on the basis of Jesus' death and in the power of his Spirit, even in the midst of 'the present evil age.'" This primary task underlies Wright's approach to what he calls, in chapter 1, 'the new problem of evil'. The old problem was a metaphysical question, asking why evil exists if there is a wise, good and supremely-powerful god. Contrary to some, Wright thinks this is a futile question, and one the Bible does not answer in any way satisfying to contemporary philosophers. The new problem in its present metaphysical form, he says, has been around for at least two-and-a-half centuries, beginning with the Lisbon earthquake on All Saints' Day 1755. He agrees with Susan Neiman's assessment in her book, Evil in Modern Thought, that Europe's philosophical history is best understood as people trying to cope or come to terms with evil. This includes Enlightenment-modern thinkers as well as postmodern ones. However, Wright sees the lines of thought that emerge from these attempts to understand the world in general and evil in particular as unsatisfactory. This includes the popular doctrine of automatic progress which, he affirms, post-modernism rightly deconstructed although it too leaves us without any satisfying solution. The 'new problem of evil' leaves us ignoring evil when it doesn't hit us in the face, surprised when it does, and reacting in immature, dangerous ways.
Wright seeks for a biblical, practical solution to evil that focuses on what God has done, is doing (including through us) and will do about evil. His summarizing journey through the scriptures is impressive, and his focus on the healing nature of divine and human forgiveness as rooted in "the victory of the cross" (favoring the Christus Victor theory of the atonement) is welcome. But take the book for what it's worth. It is not a comprehensive or balanced treatment either of the problem of evil or the meaning of Jesus' crucifixion, things which Wright admits in his preface. Although he asks the question "What is evil?" up front, one doesn't get anything like a definition until the middle of the book, in chapter 3: "Evil is the force of anti-creation, anti-life, the force which opposes and seeks to deface and destroy God's good world of space, time and matter, and above all God's image-bearing human creatures" (pg. 89). Again, his approach to evil is not philosophical. If you want to know "the ultimate reason why suffering exists," then see Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, where Piper offers a Christ-centered one, but don't expect it to be satisfying to many contemporary philosophers.
In addition to Neiman's book, mentioned above, Wright also references C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, Desmond Tutu's No Future Without Forgiveness, and Miroslav Volf's Exclusion and Embrace, among others, the last two relied on to expound on forgiveness in the last chapter. In terms of a recommendation, possibly no greater one can be given than that of Christian philosopher J.P. Moreland: "From now on, it should be the first work consulted by Christian philosophers and theologians working on the problem of evil, and pastors, laypeople and Christian workers should read and internalize the perspective of the book to insure a distinctively biblical approach in ministering to people in the face of evil."
The Wright/Right Approach
By A309P1W5IKNK3W on 2006-11-24
N. T. Wright summarizes the subject of evil in the world, and how God allows it, and what he has done and is doing about its continuing presence. This is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but it is certainly a provacative and well thought out discussion of evil. Wright says that he was attempting to deal with the meaning of the cross and found that he had to deal with the subject of what does the cross do about evil? This book starts out by recognizing and pointing out some of the obvious problems of evil in the world. He shows that evil is not just found in so-called evil people, but runs potentially down the middle of all of us. He also shows how that evil is in the world as exemplified by such things as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis.
Bishop Wright the biblical origins of evil by beginning in Genesis and then carrying the thread throughout the Hebrew Scriptures and then the New Testament. He asks the question, what can God do about evil? He speaks of the cross, resurrection, and life in the Spirit as being God's reversal of evil in God's New Creation that began according to John 20:1 "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark..." when Mary came to the tomb and found it empty. The author in no way encourages Christians to ignore the problem of evil, but rather invites us to imagine a world without evil and to pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven and deliver us from evil. This is not a light weight treatment of the subject, but this book is not difficult reading. There is not any highly technical language so anyone could read and understand this book. I recommend it highly. God bless.
In Heaven (Everything is Fine)
By A14B2NR2XELLQ0 on 2007-08-16
When I reviewed Alister McGrath's Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, Amazonians recommended the works of N.T. Wright, a British Christian theologian, for answers to the skeptical questions I raised about McGrath's book and theism generally.
In "Evil and the Justice of God" Wright offers a critique of contemporary approaches to evil, and suggests that Christianity's approach is better.
Alas, Wright's book casts great doubts on his capacity to solve any problem, let alone such grand complicated issues as Good, Evil and the existence of God. Wright's book is incoherent, obfuscatory, intellectually empty and morally bankrupt.
The main question about Evil and God is why bad things happen to good people? If God is just, how come the world isn't? I believe that theologians have wrestled with this question for centuries. Wright offers a unique, two phase approach to this problem: 1. refuse to answer it. 2. blame those who even ask.
Wright candidly admits that "I have ruled out... any immediate prospect of finding an answer to the question of where evil came from in the first place and what it's doing in God's good world." (p. 136). OK, so he chickens out from answering the tough questions. But then, he has the Chutzpah of attacking those who do: "much of the agonizing over evil as a problem in philosophy or theology is exposed as displacement activity, as moaning over spilt milk instead of mopping it" (p. 150).
For Wright, the solution to the problem of evil is God as, literally, the ultimate dues ex machine. "The Ultimate answer to the problem of evil is in God's creation of a new world, new heavens and new Earth, with redeemed, renewed human beings ruling over it and bringing to it God's wise, healing order". Makes you wonder why God couldn't get it right the first time.
But, Wright is concedes that he's open to the attack that, if everything is gonna be just fine in the new world, we shouldn't worry too much about this one. Deus Ex Machine comes to the rescue again: We should care about the here-and-now because God wants us to. If only God addressed the world's problems as effectively as he does the theologian's.
Add to Wright's confusions in general his confusion about a specific thing - namely, what do we call evil. When Wright talks about Evil, he's not being metaphorical. He really believes in Satan, supernatural powers, all that "exorcist" stuff. "The Gospels tell the story of the deeper, darker forces which operate at a superpersonal level, forces for which the language of the demonic, despite all its problems, is still the least inadequate" (p. 81).
But should we really look at evil as a "non-human being"? (p. 108). Personally, I cannot think about the concentration camps, Mao's Giant Leap Forward or the 9/11 attacks without the word "evil". And yet, "evil" is mostly not a very useful term for thinking about things. What does it mean to say, for example, that the Iraq war is evil? Is George W. Bush evil? I find that the terminology is unhelpful in either case. I don't think the questions of whether some things are evil or not lead to any real insight as to what to do about them.
As if to illustrate my point, Wright offers a reading of the Old Testament as a narrative of God's continues engagement with, and judgment of, evil. When the people misbehave, he sends the Flood. When Pharaoh refuses to "let my people go", he sends the plague. When the Midyanites sin, he sends the Israelites to wipe `em out.
This is a very forced reading. How can the murder of countless innocent first born be called "the Justice of God"? How can Genocide correspond to any concept of good that we would find palatable? What did the animals do to warrant their execution along with humankind in the flood?
Now, we shouldn't expect the bible to embody the morality we hold today. It was written thousands of years ago in a completely different cultural context. But pretending that it does speak to questions of Evil and Justice in a way that's recognizable to us is just that - pretending.
After this unconvincing spin on the Old Testament, Wright tries to discern the qualities of Heaven from a close reading of the book of Revelations. I will spare you the details - suffice to say that it would consist of a very beautiful, but physical place. "An incorruptible, unkillable physical world" (p. 116).
Wright also offers some advice as to how to improve the world we live in today. He's not much of a political philosopher. He chastises the "Modern" view on the superiority of Democracy to other Governments. "Are we really so sure that Western style government is the only or even the best type?" And yet, immediately after that., he says "I still agree with Churchill that democracy is the worst possible form of government, except for all those other forms of government that are tried from time to time." Well, that ought to settle it, then, right? Apparently not "I find myself increasingly wonder[ing] ... [is it] right to expect Afghanistan or Iraq to adopt a version of [democracy?]" (pp. 35-36). Now I'm all confused. What form of government does Wright suggest would be better for Afghanistan or Iraq? A clerical theology? Another Saddam-esque dictatorship?
Although he's not too high on democracy, Wright does like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (p.125). This is not the place to discuss the merits of these bodies, but I would like to know what biblical authority Wright Marshalls to support either. When the Israelites wanted to enter Israel, they did not call an assembly of the Nations and argued their case peacefully. No International Court judged Moses, Saul or David. It's nice that Wright has faith in the International Community, but this faith does not come from my bible.
The Problem Of Evil
By A1FNW6H983I87V on 2006-11-09
We all want to know where evil comes from and how to define it in our world. Some have determined that there is an 'axis of evil' and that the world pits the 'good' guys versus the 'evil ones'. This is a gross oversimplification of the problem. N.T. Wright does not try to determine where evil comes from but rather accepts the fact that it exists and that God has worked out a plan to deal with it. The line between good and evil runs down the middle of each one of us individually and God took on the full power of evil on the cross in the person of Jesus and has provided a way for us to deal with it and that way is rooted in forgiveness, both personal and corporate. He shows you how to look at the world the way it will be someday with the absence of evil and work backwards to how you can live that out today. One of the great theologians in the world, N.T. Wright never gives simplistic answers or formulas but gives real world solutions to be lived out as a part of God's redeeming plan for the world. Even if you've read other books on the problem of evil, you will not be disappointed. N.T. Wright always has a fresh viewpoint that's both practical and Biblical.
Wright Responds to Lisbon -- Or Does He?
By A1IK09I0FHQGJE on 2007-02-21
Bishop Wright begins his five-part meditation on Evil by refering to well-known horrific events such as the Lisbon earthquake, 9/11, the Sumatra tsunami and Katrina, suggesting that he will deal with the conundrum of "natural evil" as well as the "personal evil" that pervades the world. This promise is not fulfilled, for most of the book focuses on personal evil and how a just God had dealt and will deal with it, and how human beings might relate to it relevantly today. He frames the problem within the framework of the Christus Victor theory, and concludes that "Jesus throughout his public career and supremely at the cross had dealt with it [evil], taken its full force, exhausted it," thereby effectively defeating it. He concludes with some very practical thoughts on what it means to forgive orselves and forgive others. In his presentation Wright dialogues with such luminaries as Susan Neiman,Desmund Tutu, Miroslav Wolf and I. Gregory Jones. Wright's conclusions will not be convincing to all - in what sense can we say the power of evil (natural as well as personal) has been exhausted? -- but as always he is a provocative and pastoral writer, each of whose books I have read with benefit.
- More of the Wright Stuff
By A3MFSHR6Y6BDM6 on 2007-01-18
Bishop Wright does an excellent job of explaining what God is doing about the problem of Evil. He does not get lost in the weeds of why there is evil to begin with, but accepts the fact that evil exists and that God is working through His creation to solve the problem of Evil. Bishop Wright takes us from the Old Testament through the Crucifixion and Resurrection and then asks us to consider what kind of world God wants us to help Him build - what would the world look like if evil wasn't a condition of our existence.
In short, buy this book!
- Outstanding...
By A3TWWMUC9OHH4O on 2006-11-06
This is an outstanding book. It really conveys, not only a perspective on evil, but, an answer to it. It moves beyond the philosophical questions and looks at the heart of the Creator God to eradicate evil and rescue the cosmos.
N.T. Wright is an incredible man. He has devoted his life to God's agenda and His purposes for the world. He is my favorite author, if you haven't read any of his work's I would suggest, "Jesus and the Victory of God". His perspective is revolutionary and authentic. He invite's us to meet Jesus on the sandy roads of the 1st century for the first time. Put all your conclusions in the basement about Jesus and invite Him in. Wright gives an intimate look at who Jesus was and invites us to experience Him as He was. Thank you N.T. Wright...amazing!
- A thoughtful, serious-minded and deep philosophical on an ancient and perplexing moral quandary.
By A14OJS0VWMOSWO on 2007-01-06
Bishop and theologian N. T. Wright presents Evil and the Justice of God, a faith-minded look at the all too real problem of evil in the modern world - child abuse, ethnic cleansing, torture, terrorism, and more. How can the existence God be reconciled with the unarguable presence of such suffering? Is a world in which humanity is delivered from evil possible? Wright puts forth the reasoned philosophy and theology that the problem of evil will only be solved by God's creation of a new world, with new heavens and new earth, and redeemed, renewed human beings ruling over it. Stressing that the continued presence of evil in today's world cannot prevent God's creation of a world free from evil due to the power of forgiveness, intrinsically linked to Jesus Christ's resurrection, Evil and the Justice of God lives up to its title with its measured reasoning supporting Wright's interpretation. Wright also acknowledges the importance of human choices in either becoming part of God's new world, or excluding oneself from it. A thoughtful, serious-minded and deep philosophical on an ancient and perplexing moral quandary.
- A road map...
By A3H97D8918SXMG on 2007-03-08
...for thinking about evil in light of God's justice. While there is a lot of ambiguity regarding evil and justice, Wright does a great job of navigating through the issues. He does not shirk the tough problems, but with a nuanced understanding, helps to chart a path out the other side. In typical Wright-fashion, he gives broad overviews and then unpacks these dense ideas. A very timely topic: one that helped me to critically engage the issues in current US foreign policy better.
- Verbose
By A2KHPE4G2P4LV7 on 2007-05-21
I took a writing course in college taught by a professor who I'm reminded of when reading books by N.T.Wright. She was so caught up in either a fascination with herself, or with her "proper" writing abilities, that no one could understand a thing she wrote. This book tends to belabor many points that don't seem to be directly related to the theme. Rather, they seem to be put in the book to shine the light on Wright. I was rather disappointed with this one, and to a lesser degree, Simply Christian, which was supposed to be more of a layman's book.
- A clear explanation of what justice means and requires of me
By A146B33Q4JRVVU on 2007-01-09
Justice is often considered an unobtainable goal. Not so says Tom Wright and we all have a role to play to bring justice to the world. He explains historically how justice was marred by man's actions and then he gives tremendous hope that it will be restored. For anyone despairing that real justice can be found read this book and become part of the justice solution and find excitement in doing so!
- Can we envision a world truly delivered of evil?
By A14OJS0VWMOSWO on 2007-05-19
Evil used to be a concern regulated to church officials and parish leaders, but today it's evident in all corners of society - and an understanding of what constitutes evil is needed for even everyday readers. EVIL AND THE JUSTICE OF GOD provides this discussion, debating terrorism, child abuse, and other modern instances of evil in light of its religious and social applications. Can we envision a world truly delivered of evil? Wright discusses possibilities and modern dilemmas in a book especially recommended for spiritual libraries strong in religious and philosophical discourse alike.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
- The shadow of a fallen world
By A3BVHMC25DBEBO on 2007-12-09
Well I have mixed emotions regarding this book. In many accounts it has been a disappointment. The author is an anglican bishop in Britian, so his somewhat leftist bent is understandable.
I particularly was disappointed by his assertion that wars even with smart bombs are evil. He argues instead that we should respond to evil (what he acknowledges to be a powerful force, one in which was responsible for the holocaust) with negotiation and never war which kills civilians even when things like smartbombs are introduced and even if the cause is just. (Page 125).
I was also offended by the assertion that western governments should forgive debt in Africa (sorry the economists are right, living in the black is important and isn't taught by bailing people out when they live in the red...). On a related note the idea that western governments should try to specially protect people that live in disaster prone areas, also disturbed me (people who live in disaster prone areas are responsible for that choice).
On the theological side, I took issue with the idea that all the suffering endured in this world will be resolved/nullified when God creates a new heavens and new earth. I believe that people can forgive others of the suffering they unfairly endured, however the opportunites that were unfairly taken away as a result (the opportunity of a child/young adult to become mature adults, find their calling/career, have children) will still be fact. This is why I made "the shadow of a fallen world" my title.
I thought the call to mature forgivenesss was very good aspect of the book. In particular, the call of the church to confront believers that are in sin, first individually, then as a group, as a church and then remove them from fellowship if they persist... is an something that the western church needs desperately to teach more about and to embrace.
Although, let me also state that forgiveness and confrontation about sin while good inside Christian fellowship and our relationships with other people doesn't help in a situation like the Israel/Palestine conflict in which both sides believe that the land of Canaan is their by divine right. Sorry, forgiveness is next to irrelevant when you believe that you own something by divine right.
Summing things up, the author spent most of the book critical of stereotypical right-wing and left-wing approaches to address evil, but didn't offer very much in regards to practically confronting and correcting evil in anything but a church setting.
- Small but Elaborate
By A1F0QMSNX4VO3R on 2007-08-02
Well written, but I would have to -slightly- agree with (although not entirely) another reviewer about this book being verbose... it is at times hard to follow, and I have found myself rereading a paragraph 2 or 3 times. Perhaps he intended this book to be much larger and in-depth but decided to condense it to 160-some pages.
I would have to commend Wright on his viewpoints on Evil, and he does manage to point out the problem of 'dualism' that is so common in our culture: that we see evil as an outside force, a clear yin and yang, an us and them. The clarity he brings, is that evil runs through all of us, on some level (not in the horror movie or politician derived evil).
Do not mistake this as Wright trying to say that evil is always there, so just accept it... or as an excuse or explanation... rather he points out our connection (each one of us) to evil, and therefore our responsibility to be aware of it and counter it.
Excerpt:
"...it is a problem if and when a `Christian' empire seeks to impose its will dualistically on the world by labeling other parts of the world "evil" while seeing itself as the avenging army of God. That is more or less exactly what Jesus found in the Israel of his day. The cross was and remains a call to a different vocation, a new way of dealing with evil and ultimately a new vision of God.
What, after all, would it look like if the true God came to deal with evil? Would he come in a blaze of glory, in a pillar of cloud and fire, surrounded by legions of angels? Jesus of Nazareth took the total risk of speaking as if the answer to the question were this: when the true God comes back to deal with evil, he will look like a young Jewish prophet journeying at Passover time, celebrating the kingdom, confronting the corrupt authorities, feasting with his friends, succumbing in prayer and agony to a cruel and unjust fate, taking upon himself the weight of Israel's sin, the world's sin: Evil with a capital E. When we look at Jesus in this way, we discover that the cross has become for us the new temple, the place where we go to meet the true God and know him as Savior and Redeemer. The cross becomes the place of pilgrimage, where we stand and gaze at what was done for each one of us. The cross becomes the sign that pagan empire, symbolized in the might and power of sheer brutal force, has been decisively challenged by a different power, the power of love, the power that shall win the day."
There's much more to it than I have explained... and it is a very creative intriguing work. Other than the problem with ease of understanding, the reason I gave it 4 stars is how he condensed this work so small, and the way (although he admits it) he brushes over so quickly so many passages from the Old and New Testaments.
I recommend this for anyone, not just Christians, if just for his concept on evil if anything.
- Looking for Paul's View on the Demonic
By A20ACWM5AJOS17 on 2007-09-13
This book was helpful in researching Paul's view of the Demonic. I have, in the past, found N.T. Wright a little glib in his writing, with words too quickly flowing off the fingers (yet another book rolling off the press) rather than evidence of 'laboured over sentences'. The book did give me insights into Paul's conviction that we 'wrestle not against flesh and blood', that we cannot palm off accountability for sin onto the demonic, (we are individually accountable for our shortcomings), and that Paul's preoccupation was with his adoration of Jesus Christ and not a predilection with the demonic.
- Profound Insight
By A1KT6I51K8VH03 on 2008-02-08
NT's book approaches the subject in a different way than anything I have read. His insights are myriad and profound. I appreciate his commitment to a thoroughly biblical understanding, tempered by a deep understanding of history and culture.
- Disappointing Book from Tom Wright
By A2K7OT0P1IIQJN on 2008-06-27
For those unfamiliar with the autor, Tom Wright has some interesting (not exactly orthodox / Biblically sound) theology that makes his more academic books generally a good read.
However, as one of his "pop" books, this one seems to be laden with Western European anti-war commentary that comes across as politically motivated, not Biblically-based.
- Must-read transitional work
By AF0EEJARLFZAY on 2008-07-24
There are very few scholars whose work I wait to be released. Among them thus far in my young scholarly career are Marcus Borg, Garry Wills, Mark Noll and NT Wright, authors whose scholarship is prolific, deeply personal and exhaustively researched.
This books represents a transition on Wright's work from Christological scholarship toward a theology of the cross. Although admittedly more on the level of popular reading, it is a must-read for anyone interested in the debate over the current wave of Christian leaders set on reclaiming faith from the Religious Right in favor a service-based Kingdom theology that focuses less on going to heaven and more on the hope and activity of making heaven a present and temporal reality.
- book review: Evil and the Justice of God
By A2W69NPDNNV023 on 2007-06-11
Using book for discussion in one our church's adult Sunday School classes
- Wright respone to evil
By AGPT5K1UWGMSU on 2007-08-06
N.T Wright is one of the best biblical scholars of our times, and this book continues his tradition of insightful and thoughtful writings. Evil and the justice of God is not neccesarily just for those looking to understand the presence of evil in the world but, almost more so for those Christians reading it, how we should respond to it.
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