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Book Description
Where does evil come from?
If there is a sovereign creator God, as Christian faith holds, is this God ultimately responsible for evil?
Does God's sovereignty mean that God causes each instance of sin and suffering?
How do Satan, his demons and hell fit into God's providential oversight of all creation and history?
How does God interact with human intention and action?
If people act freely, does God know in particular every human decision before the choice is made? In this important book Gregory A. Boyd mounts a thorough response to these ages-old questions, which remain both crucial and contentious, both practical and complex.In this work Boyd defends his scripturally grounded trinitarian warfare theodicy (presented in God at War) with rigorous philosophical reflection and insights from human experience and scientific discovery. Critiquing the classical Calvinist solution to the problem of evil, he advocates an alternative understanding of the sovereignty of the trinitarian God and of the reality of Satan that sheds light on our fallen human condition. While all may not agree with Boyd's conclusions, Satan and the Problem of Evil promises to advance the church's discussion of these critical issues.
Additional Information Following his book God at War, Boyd here seeks to defend his scripturally grounded trinitarian warfare theodicy with rigorous philosophical reflection and insights from human experience and scientific discovery. He suggests that there is an alternative to the classical Calvinist understanding of the sovereignty of the trinitarian God and of the reality of Satan that sheds light on our fallen human condition. While all may not agree with his conclusions, this book promises to advance the church's discussion over these critical issues.
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Books > Subjects > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Boyd, Gregory A. [19 similar products]
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Books > Subjects > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Reference > Theology > General [4167 similar products]
MUCH NEEDED REBUTTAL TO CALVINISM AND ITS REPROCUSIONS Jan 4, 2007
In contrast to the widely accepted protestent view of Calvinistic Determinism, Dr. Boyd has laid forth the early Jewish and Chruch's undertanding and view of God's foreknowledge, free agency, and evil as it is experienced. This view is definitely in more harmony with the totality of Scripture rather than the selective and illogical view of Calvinism.
The main premise is that Love Requires Freedom (choice), thus, a holy, righteous and loving God cannot arbritarly force or cause agents to "love" Him nor suffer damnation if they are not the initial cause of their "choices." Subsequently, free agents' choices may cause suffering, as we witness today in the physical and spritual realm. Since Christ never attributed evil to be an element of "God's Plan" neither should His disciples today.
Mr. Boyd does, though, get sidetracked addressing various views concerning each premise which is unneeded since once the truch is unearthed, the counterfits will be clearly exposed. Highly recommended, especially chapters 1-3. [....]
Commentary on Hypocrisy of Boyd and his Church Oct 6, 2006
I have been told positive things about Boyd and had intended to read this book on spiritual warfare. I have also attended a few of his services with my brother in the Twin Cities; however, after my most recent contact with his church, requesting assistance against the VERY SPIRITUAL WARFARE he writes about in his books, I no longer have faith in or desire to read anything he writes.
I was met with a very un-Christian, un-Christ-like response by Boyd's church, Woodland Hills, when I recently approached them about an issue of very real spiritual warfare. The reponses I met were as follows:
1) "I don't think we can help you, as you're not a member of our church" 2) No response to my voicemail 3) A limp response by phone and email only after a friend of mine, who had been a member of the church for some time, wrote them an email telling them about my disappointment in their reaction to my request.
Boyd may be a brilliant scholar and theologian, but that does not necessarily make him a true Christian.
I'm disgusted, angry, disappointed, and saddened by Boyd and his church's reaction to the real thing - actual, visceral, spiritual warfare. It leaves me with a few very clear ideas about Boyd:
1) He is clueless when it comes to confronting actual Evil 2) He is too conceited to admit that he is actually helpless in the very matters he writes about 3) His writing and thoughts have no real credibility because they have no application to reality
I will add, too, that his book, "Letters from a Skeptic", which was recommended to me, reads much like Spirituality for Dummies and perhaps conveys the condescending attitude underlying his faithful facade.
In the end, it is up to you to decide whether or not you care to read and trust the words of a hypocrite.
The reviewer below noted that open theology isn't the main feature of this book... Aug 2, 2006
...and I think that's both a fair analysis and a key point to appreciating what it offers. I'm not an open theist, although I enjoy reading some of it (it's thought-provoking), but I don't believe one must be to embrace Boyd's model of warfare theology (outlined both here and in his 'God At War', another compelling book). This is worth reading for those of us who are secure enough in our own theology to be able to hear out other ideas without feeling the need to strike them down, point-for-point. Let the man speak and don't be so quick to judge! If your theology's right, there's no risk. If it isn't, you NEED to be challenged.
Great Help Jun 18, 2006
I found this book to be extremely helpful. Before reading Satan and the Problem of Evil and God at War, I believed that I was hated by God just like Esau. In this book, Boyd provides a plausable explanation for how it was possible that I was caught in the crossfire of a world at war rather than being a "vessel for destruction". I believe that I have been loved by god before the foundation of the world, and that I am loved with an infinite love, and god does not want me or anyone else to perish. I am not a theologian, and did not realize when I read this how controversial this writing seems to be. For me, it was a God send.
Open View not the Major Point May 24, 2006
It is true that the focus of the book is anti-Augustinian in its emphasis, but there is no reason any Armenianist should have a problem with the book's central thesis. The author argues that Augustine's emphasis on God's will being the overriding factor in all that happens logically led to a de-emphasis of the importance of the forces of evil (since if nothing that happens except as God's will, the evil forces become as puppets in his hand to accomplish His will). Boyd argues that the emphasis of the early Christians, and of Scripture, is on their being an actual battle between good and evil. This is the central thesis of the book. The Open view stuff is a sideline, which Boyd points out several times in the book is not necessary in order to hold to the central premis of the book. I'm mentioning this because it seems to me that there are reviewers who have gotten hung up on this issue (i.e. the Open View issue).
I really liked the book a lot. It supported exhaustively the concept of warfare in Scripture, from virtually every book in Scripture. Seeing the problem of evil as one where what happens is not necessarily God's will, but the result of those opposed to His will, has profound practical applications.
