Beyond the Problem of Evil : Derrida and Anglophone Philosophy of Religion

Beyond the Problem of Evil tackles the reinventing the philosophy of religion by way of a topic familiar to anyone who has encountered the field. By considering how “the problem of evil” is historically structured by commitments to theism alongside the recent calls for cross-cultural relevance in the field, the book offers an argument whereby philosophers of religion may globalize the scope of their work. Drawing on the work of Jacques Derrida and critical theorists of religion, the topic is reframed as an investigation of how social actors perceive necessities and grapple with accidents that disrupt them. In this way, the usual commitments to categories structured by theism no longer prevent cross-cultural studies of “evil” and the stage is set for rethinking the field. This book reinvents the philosophy of religion, investigating how social actors perceive necessities and grapple with accidents that disrupt them. Loewen draws upon on the work of Derrida and critical theorists of religion to argue that the usual commitments to categories structured by theism no longer prevent cross-cultural studies of "evil." Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Introduction: Reconsidering Evil 1 A Problem of Persuasion 2 A Discourse on Evil within the Limits of Theism Alone 3 Orthodoxy and Others 4 Subjectivity, Sovereignty, and Law 5 Violence and Responsibility Conclusion Bibliography Index About the Author Derrida and Anglophone philosophy of religion -- A problem of persuasion -- A discourse on evil within the limits of Theism alone -- Orthodoxy and others: taking history seriously -- Subjectivity, sovereignty, and law -- Violence and responsibility -- Beyond the problem of evil