Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus on the Role of the Devil in Problems of Evil and Suffering

The aim of this essay is to reconsider the way scholarship conceives the role of the devil in early Christian approaches to evil and suffering, using as a case study theological reflection on this theme by Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus. Through a close reading of three texts concerned w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Thomas, Gabrielle 1974- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2024
In: International journal of systematic theology
Year: 2024, Volume: 26, Issue: 4, Pages: 351-366
IxTheo Classification:HA Bible
KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity
NBC Doctrine of God
NBD Doctrine of Creation
NBE Anthropology
NBH Angelology; demonology
NBL Doctrine of Predestination
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Summary:The aim of this essay is to reconsider the way scholarship conceives the role of the devil in early Christian approaches to evil and suffering, using as a case study theological reflection on this theme by Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus. Through a close reading of three texts concerned with the origins of evil, suffering, and the continued presence of the devil on earth after Christ's victory, I propose the devil's existence contributes to the mystery of evil for Basil and Gregory. Put simply, the devil does not serve as a strategy to solve problems of evil and suffering. The devil himself is a problem.
ISSN:1468-2400
Contains:Enthalten in: International journal of systematic theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/ijst.12694