‘For anyone who is fascinated by the phenomenon of religion, this is a deeply interesting book.’
Mary Warnock
Although we can all give meaning to our lives by trying to live well, is there some given meaning to be discovered?
Science cannot answer this question, and philosophical arguments leave the issue open. The monotheistic religions claim that the meaning has been revealed to us, and Christians see this is above all in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Described by Rowan Williams as ‘that rarity, a Christian public intellectual’, Richard Harries considers the Christian claim in the context of an in-depth discussion of the nature of evil and how this is to be reconciled with a just and loving God. Drawing on a wide range of modern literature, he argues that belief in the resurrection and hope in the face of death is fundamental to faith, and suggests that while there is no final intellectual answer to the problem of evil, we must all, believer and nonbeliever alike, protest against the world and seek to change it, rather than accept it as it is.
Table of Content
Contents
1 Life – so astonishing and so appalling 1
2 Asking the right questions 10
3 Knowing and unknowing 23
4 Pursuing the truth 39
5 Truth in its beauty 56
6 A living tradition 69
7 What do we know about Jesus and why does it matter? 76
8 One religion among many 95
9 Why did it all begin? 104
10 The mystery of good and evil 112
11 Overcoming evil 125
12 Hope in the face of death 139
13 Why suffering? 155
14 Refusing to be comforted 167
15 Rebellion or acceptance? 175
16 Beyond tragedy 186
17 Towards a true humanism 201
18 ‘Keep your mind in hell and do not despair’ 208
Notes 216
Copyright acknowledgements 231
Index 233
About the author
Richard Harris was Bishop of Oxford from 1987-2006 and is now an Honorary Professor of Theology at King’s College. He is the author of more than 20 books, many of them on ethical issues, and is a frequent broadcaster. He chaired the Church of England’s Board for Social Responsibility and the Ethics and Law Committee of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (the HFEA). He was made a Life Peer on his retirement (Lord Harries of Pentregarth) and continues to contribute in the House of Lords.
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