Review by Choice Review
The problem of evil regularly gets significant academic attention, so a fresh and innovative approach to the subject would seem a difficult proposition. Yet Gleeson (Flinders Univ. of South Australia) accomplishes just that. He argues that the traditional approach to the problem of evil inappropriately separates intellectual and existential approaches. Those from the atheistic side and those presenting theodicies all focus on the intellectual aspect, leaving the more personal issues aside. Gleeson believes theodicies fail in this environment and suggests instead that the existential approach receive primary attention. In doing so, he rejects the idea of a universal morality, seeing that both atheists and theists can make equally compelling arguments in light of the suffering in the world. His own way to address the subject is through a focus on God as being love itself--seen in an existential rather than objective manner. Gleeson's book provides a helpful and interesting contribution to the scholarly literature on this topic. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. J. Jaeger Dallas Baptist University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
