Abstract

In The Problem of Christianity, Josiah Royce describes the case of the traitor as embodying "the exemplary type of moral tragedy" which he will use toward the adumbration of a theory of atonement. Royce describes the redemptive process of the traitor as a "tragic reconciliation, " for his sinful deed can never be undone. Still, the traitor can, with regard to his treason, "bring out of the realm of death a new life that only this very death rendered possible." In this article, it is argued that Royce's use of "death" here is no mere metaphorical flourish. Drawing from The World and the Individual and The Problem of Christianity, it is proposed that for Royce, sin and death are different instances of the same evil. Moreover, it is suggested that Royce's novel and perceptive understanding of the limits of human nature leads him to valuable ways of coping with our finitude, both as individuals and communities.