Evil and the God of Love

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xx

   PDF

2. Introductory

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. The Problem and its Terms

      • John Hick

      Pages 3-14

   3. The Two Poles of Thought — Monism and Dualism

      • John Hick

      Pages 15-33

3. The Augustinian Type of Theodicy

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 35-35

      PDF

   2. The Fountainhead: St. Augustine — Evil as privation of good stemming from misused freedom

      • John Hick

      Pages 37-69

   3. The Fountainhead: St. Augustine — The principle of plenitude and the aesthetic theme

      • John Hick

      Pages 70-89

   4. Catholic Thought from Augustine to the Present Day

      • John Hick

      Pages 90-114

   5. The Problem of Evil in Reformed Thought

      • John Hick

      Pages 115-144

   6. Eighteenth-Century ‘Optimism’

      • John Hick

      Pages 145-168

   7. Dividing the Light from the Darkness

      • John Hick

      Pages 169-198

4. The Irenaean Type of Theodicy

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 199-199

      PDF

   2. Sin and the Fall according to the Hellenistic Fathers

      • John Hick

      Pages 201-218

   3. The Irenaean Type of Theodicy in Schleiermacher

      • John Hick

      Pages 219-235

   4. The Two Theodicies — Contrasts and Agreements

      • John Hick

      Pages 236-240

5. A Theodicy for Today

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 241-241

      PDF

   2. The Starting-Point

      • John Hick

      Pages 243-261

   3. Moral Evil

      • John Hick

      Pages 262-291

   4. Pain

      • John Hick

      Pages 292-317

   5. Suffering

      • John Hick

      Pages 318-336

When first published, Evil and the God of Love instantly became recognized as a modern theological classic, widely viewed as the most important work on the problem of evil to appear in English for more than a generation. Including a foreword by Marilyn McCord Adams, this reissue also contains a new preface by the author.

• English
• freedom
• god
• kingdom
• liberty
• love
• present
• reform
• theodicy

'A masterly book which is bound to become a standard work.' - Ian Ramsey, View Review

'The most exciting work of its kind that I have read for several years.' - John Raymond, Sunday Times

'A major contribution to the discussion of theodicy.' - Times Literary Supplement

'The most satisfying book I have read on the reconciliation of the enormous fact of evil with our Christian belief in the enormous love and power of God.' - T.E. Jessop, Methodist Recorder

'Deep learning, clear thought, and a profoundly Christian mind...a really important book.' - Church Times

'I do not know of any contemporary work which deals with [the problem of evil] either so thoroughly or so profoundly.' - Hugo Meynell, Catholic Herald

'A very important book, admirable for both its courage and its clarity.' E.L. Mascall, Clergy Review

'The most considerable [book] on the problem of evil to appear in English for a generation.' - W.D. Hudson, Theology

World-renowned philosopher of religion JOHN HICK was the author of numerous books which were translated into sixteen languages. He taught in Britain and the United States and lectured in many countries. His Gifford Lectures, An Interpretation of Religion, received the Grawemeyer Award for new religious thinking.

Policies and ethics