Religion as a source of evil

International Journal of Philosophy and Theology 78 (4-5):419-431 (2017)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe starting point is that there is a structural, although not necessary link between religion and two important expressions of religious evil, religious intolerance and violence. The origin of this link lies in the radicalism that is inherent in all religions. Although this radicalism often has very positive effects, it also can lead to evil. Because religious evil is fueled by eschatological antagonism and the enormous utopian energies that are characteristic of religion, it is often qualified as symbolic. ‘Symbolic’ refers to the fundamental disproportion between the excess of the divine as a groundless ground and the finite capacity of every religion to receive it. Symbolic violence arises when a religious community yields to the temptation of becoming possessive, forcing the inexhaustible divine mystery to adapt to the limited capacities of this community to grasp this mystery. This leads to the exclusion of internal or external dissenters. The final section examines how the ill-fated bond between religion and evil can be broken. It will be examined if and how a redefinition of tolerance, in particular a disconnection between religious truth and the claim to exclusivism and a commitment to interconfessional hospitality, can contribute to avoiding that religion becomes evil.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Religious Evil: The Basic Issues.Daniel Kodaj - 2016 - Philosophy Compass 11 (5):277-286.
Religion as a source and remedy for evil.Gerardo Cunico - 2017 - International Journal of Philosophy and Theology 78 (4-5):407-418.
Religion and pseudo-religion: an elusive boundary.Sami Pihlström - 2007 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 62 (1):3-32.
God, freedom, and evil.Alvin Plantinga - 1978 - Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Religion, Ethical Community and the Struggle Against Evil.Allen Wood - 2000 - Faith and Philosophy 17 (4):498-511.
Otherness and the problem of evil: How does that which is other become evil?Calvin O. Schrag - 2006 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 60 (1-3):149-156.
Both Red and Green but Religiously Right: Coping with Evil in a Religion of Nature.Donald A. Crosby - 2010 - American Journal of Theology and Philosophy 31 (2):108-123.
Otherness and the Problem of Evil: How Does That Which Is Other Become Evil? [REVIEW]Calvin O. Schrag - 2006 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 60 (1/3):149 - 156.
The Argument from Evil: ROBERT J. RICHMAN.Robert J. Richman - 1969 - Religious Studies 4 (2):203-211.
A philosophy of religion.Edgar Sheffield Brightman - 1940 - New York,: Greenwood Press.

Analytics

Added to PP
2017-11-15

Downloads
15 (#809,217)

6 months
5 (#246,492)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?