Endorsements:
“Greg Boyd has shown us that the most powerful way to view God in a postmodern world is through the eyes of the warfare worldview of Scripture. This biblical argument not only makes sense of our ravaged world, it turns us to the only hope we have–a world whose end is in the hand of the God who will overcome evil and establish his reign over the entire cosmos!”
—Robert Webber, Myers Professor of Ministry, Northern Seminary (Lombard, Illinois)
“Greg Boyd has written a fascinating and learned book on perhaps the most important theological theme of our times: evil and suffering. Drawing upon profound scholarship in philosophy and biblical studies, Boyd communicates to a broad audience with admirable clarity. This fresh approach to the problem of evil in terms of spiritual warfare may be the best evangelical book on Satan since The Screwtape Letters.“
—Alan G. Padgett, Azusa Pacific University
“No issue has drawn more theological ink in the history of the church than the problem of evil, with the predictable result that most new treatments offer little more than reformulations of long standard options. This volume is a refreshing exception. Boyd’s discussion of the various aspects of the issue is not only clear and insightful, he provocatively details and defends an accounting for ‘natural evil’ that has been long neglected–indeed actively dismissed–in the history of Christian debate. Boyd challenges us to take seriously biblical ascriptions of ‘natural’ evil to demonic agents, building his case as much by consideration of contemporary philosophical and theological debates as he does by exegesis of relevant biblical texts. He has rendered both church and academy a great service in restoring cogency to this ‘spiritual warfare’ model as an approach to issues of theodicy.”
—Randy L. Maddox, Ph.D., Paul T. Walls Professor of Wesleyan Theology, Seattle Pacific University
“Gregory Boyd tackles one of the most difficult and important questions that Christians face: ‘Why does evil occur in the world created by a good and sovereign God?’ He proposes that evil occurs because God has given libertarian freedom to his creatures so that they might love him voluntarily. This necessarily includes the risk that they will choose instead to fight God’s intentions for the good of all his creatures. Boyd posits that the powerful influence of Satan is the most important factor in an explanation of the occurrence of evil. The proposal is clearly stated and forcefully defended, both biblically and rationally. This book will be widely useful to people who want to hone their understanding of the existence of horrendous evil in a world where God is both good and omnipotent, whether or not they agree with Boyd’s own proposal. Calvinists and other compatibilists can assess Boyd’s case for a world in which evil occurs despite God’s best efforts to prevent it. Classical Arminians and other incompatibilists, who believe that God’s comprehensive knowledge of the future minimizes God’s risk, can ponder Boyd’s argument that such a view is unbiblical and incoherent. Open theists can profit from consideration of Boyd’s case for the supreme importance of the influence of Satan in the occurrence of evil in the world. Indeed, understanding the role of Satan in the world is essential to our understanding of God’s work in the world, and Boyd’s carefully developed proposal will stimulate fruitful reflection by Christians of all persuasions.”
—Terrance Tiessen, professor of theology and ethics, Providence Theological Seminary (Canada)