God Owes Us Nothing : A Brief Remark on Pascal's Religion and on the Spirit of Jansenism

__God Owes Us Nothing__ reflects on the centuries-long debate in Christianity: how do we reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how does God's omnipotence relate to people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation. Leszek Kolakowski approaches this paradox as both an exercise in theology and in revisionist Christian history based on philosophical analysis. Kolakowski's unorthodox interpretation of the history of modern Christianity provokes renewed discussion about the historical, intellectual, and cultural omnipotence of neo-Augustinianism. "Several books a year wrestle with that hoary conundrum, but few so dazzlingly as the Polish philosopher's latest."—Carlin Romano, __Washington Post Book World__ "Kolakowski's fascinating book and its debatable thesis raise intriguing historical and theological questions well worth pursuing."—Stephen J. Duffy, __Theological Studies__ "Kolakowski's elegant meditation is a masterpiece of cultural and religious criticism."—Henry Carrigan, __Cleveland Plain Dealer__

God Owes Us Nothing reflects on the centuries-long debate in Christianity: how do we reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how does God's omnipotence relate to people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation. Leszek Kolakowski approaches this paradox as both an exercise in theology and in revisionist Christian history based on philosophical analysis. Kolakowski's unorthodox interpretation of the history of modern Christianity provokes renewed discussion about the historical, intellectual, and cultural omnipotence of neo-Augustinianism.

Several books a year wrestle with that hoary conundrum, but few so dazzlingly as the Polish philosopher's latest.—Carlin Romano, Washington Post Book World

Kolakowski's fascinating book and its debatable thesis raise intriguing historical and theological questions well worth pursuing.—Stephen J. Duffy, Theological Studies

Kolakowski's elegant meditation is a masterpiece of cultural and religious criticism.—Henry Carrigan, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Booknews

Kolakowski (U. of Chicago) reflects on the long-standing Christian debate, how to reconcile the existence of evil with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how God's omnipotence is compatible with people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation. He approaches the discussion as an exercise in theology and in revisionist Christian history based on philosophical analysis, touching on the Augustinian Jansenius' repudiation of free will and Pascal's moral philosophy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Leszek Kolakowski reflects on the centuries-long debate in Christianity: how to reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how God's omnipotence is compatible with people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation. He approaches this paradox as both an exercise in theology and in revisionist Christian history based on philosophical analysis. This unorthodox interpretation of the history of modern Christianity will provoke renewed discussion about the historical, intellectual, and cultural importance of neo-Augustinianism. Written with Kolakowski's characteristic wit and irony, God Owes Us Nothing will be required reading for philosophers, religious scholars, theologians, and historians alike. We are going to talk about what is perhaps the most formidable and intractable puzzle of Christian thinking-the confrontation of divine grace with the human free will-not in order to depicts its centuries-long and very confusing history or, God forbid, to contribute to its solution, but to see how this puzzle became the focus of a struggle between modernity and reaction embodied respectively in Jesuit and Jansenist doctrines in the seventeenth century, how Saint Augustine became a victim of this battle, and what role was played in it by Pascal. How do we reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how does God's omnipotence relate to people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation? Sociologist Leszek Kolakowski reflects on a centuries-long debate in Christianity. "Several books a year wrestle with that hoary conundrum, but few so dazzlingly as the Polish philosopher's latest".--Carlin Romano, WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD. This volume presents a new interpretation of a centuries-long debate in Christianity: how to reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God. An examination of Pascal, whose powerful moral philosophy has roots in Jansenism, is included in the discussion.