Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love grapples with the same fundamental question that has vexed philosophers and theologians since the advent of monotheistic religion, and continues as a barrier to belief for many today. Namely, if God is so good, how can natural disaster, genocide, trauma - and my present suffering - occur? Historically, there have been two apparently very different approaches to the problem: the pastoral, or practical, on the one hand and the systematic on the other.
Richard Norton, however, suggests that these two lines of thought may not be as separate as they seem, and may indeed be dependent on one another for their cohesion. Drawing on Julian's medieval experience of personal and population-wide suffering, alongside that of more recent theologians such as Dorothy Solle and Jürgen Moltmann, Norton constructs a compassionate model of theodicy that can be of use to both pastoral and systematic theologians. Throughout, he remains sensitive to the raw atrocity of evil, while preserving a vision of God as the one who ensures that all shall be well.
Richard Norton, however, suggests that these two lines of thought may not be as separate as they seem, and may indeed be dependent on one another for their cohesion. Drawing on Julian's medieval experience of personal and population-wide suffering, alongside that of more recent theologians such as Dorothy Solle and Jürgen Moltmann, Norton constructs a compassionate model of theodicy that can be of use to both pastoral and systematic theologians. Throughout, he remains sensitive to the raw atrocity of evil, while preserving a vision of God as the one who ensures that all shall be well.
Price: $29.99
Pages: 174
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Inc.
Imprint: Lutterworth Press
Publication Date:
25 April 2024
Trim Size: 10.00 X 6.14 in
ISBN: 9780718896157
Format: Paperback
Norton is among Julian scholars who argue that Julian's use of the trope of Motherhood in God is much more than a reflection of feminine experience; he argues it is not only an integral part of her theology but particularly of her theodicy; that she uses this metaphor deliberately to emphasize the divine compassion in relation to evil; and "Christ's passion is the supreme manifestation of divine love" because it demonstrates "overwhelming compassion for all victims," especially in regard to the lack of anger in God.
With persuasive argument, Richard Norton presents the heated debate between theoretical and pastoral theodicy and argues for a more integral approach to the problems of evil, sin and suffering, based on the theology of divine mercy and unconditional love in the Revelations of Julian of Norwich. A most compelling contribution!
— Veronica Mary Rolf, Author of Julian's Gospel and An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich
For Norton, Julian's theodicy, which arises from the images and interpretation of her revelation of divine love, seems to crack his modern concern with the various approaches to the problem of evil and the goodness of God set out in the first half of the book. Yet this is a stimulating read for both the Julian scholar and the modern theologian.
— Emma Pennington
With persuasive argument, Richard Norton presents the heated debate between theoretical and pastoral theodicy and argues for a more integral approach to the problems of evil, sin and suffering, based on the theology of divine mercy and unconditional love in the Revelations of Julian of Norwich. A most compelling contribution!
— Veronica Mary Rolf, Author of Julian's Gospel and An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich
For Norton, Julian's theodicy, which arises from the images and interpretation of her revelation of divine love, seems to crack his modern concern with the various approaches to the problem of evil and the goodness of God set out in the first half of the book. Yet this is a stimulating read for both the Julian scholar and the modern theologian.
— Emma Pennington
Preface ix
Introduction 1
1. Why the Problem of Evil is a Problem 9
Possible Replies to the Epicurean Trilemma 10
Additional Difficulties for Theodicy 13
2. Pastoral versus Theoretical Theodicy 15
Critiques of Theoretical Approaches to the
Problem of Evil 16
Contemporary Distinctions and Debates 32
Pastoral Responses to Suffering 53
Conclusions 68
3. Key Issues in Modern Theodicy 73
The Problem of Abandoning Traditional
Theoretical Theodicy 74
Towards a Defence of Traditional Theoretical
Theodicy 79
Does God Suffer? 82
God's Compassion 86
Destructive Suffering and Some Responses 90
Conclusions 95
4. Julian of Norwich and the Problem of Evil 97
Sin and Human Nature 98
Human Bodies, Suffering and Evil 104
The Motherhood of God in Christ 109
Compassion 113
Conclusions 117
5. God, Suffering and Eschatology in Julian of Norwich 119
Julian and Affliction 119
Julian's Eschatology 122
Towards a Julian Theodicy 128
Conclusion 135
Bibliography 141
Julian of Norwich: Editions of
Revelations of Divine Love 141
Julian of Norwich and Theodicy 141
Julian of Norwich: Books, Articles and Other Writings 143
Contemporary Debates on the Problem of Evil 149
Index 155
Introduction 1
1. Why the Problem of Evil is a Problem 9
Possible Replies to the Epicurean Trilemma 10
Additional Difficulties for Theodicy 13
2. Pastoral versus Theoretical Theodicy 15
Critiques of Theoretical Approaches to the
Problem of Evil 16
Contemporary Distinctions and Debates 32
Pastoral Responses to Suffering 53
Conclusions 68
3. Key Issues in Modern Theodicy 73
The Problem of Abandoning Traditional
Theoretical Theodicy 74
Towards a Defence of Traditional Theoretical
Theodicy 79
Does God Suffer? 82
God's Compassion 86
Destructive Suffering and Some Responses 90
Conclusions 95
4. Julian of Norwich and the Problem of Evil 97
Sin and Human Nature 98
Human Bodies, Suffering and Evil 104
The Motherhood of God in Christ 109
Compassion 113
Conclusions 117
5. God, Suffering and Eschatology in Julian of Norwich 119
Julian and Affliction 119
Julian's Eschatology 122
Towards a Julian Theodicy 128
Conclusion 135
Bibliography 141
Julian of Norwich: Editions of
Revelations of Divine Love 141
Julian of Norwich and Theodicy 141
Julian of Norwich: Books, Articles and Other Writings 143
Contemporary Debates on the Problem of Evil 149
Index 155