The History of Evil in the Medieval Age: 450-1450 CE(History of Evil)

The second volume of The History of Evil explores the philosophy of evil in the long Middle Ages. Starting from the Augustinian theme of evil as a deprivation or perversion of what is good, this period saw the maturation of concepts of natural evil, of evil as sin involving the will, and of malicious agents aiming to increase evil in general and sin in particular. Comprising fifteen chapters, the contributions address key figures of the Christian Middle Ages or traditions sharing some similar cultural backgrounds, such as medieval Judaism and Islam. Other chapters examine contemporaneous developments in the Middle East, China, India and Japan. The volume concludes with an overview of contemporary transpositions of Dante, illustrating the remarkable cultural influence of medieval accounts of evil today. This outstanding treatment of the history of evil at the crucial and determinative inception of its key concepts will appeal to those with particular interests in the ideas of evil and good.

Table of Contents:
Editors and Contributors. Series Introduction. Volume Introduction. 1 SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, Erik M. Hanson. 2 BOETHIUS, John Moorhead. 3 SANKARA, Anantanand Rambachan. 4 NEO-CONFUCIANISM, Yong Huang. 5 SAADIA GAON, Lenn Goodman. 6 RAMANUJA, Christopher Bartley. 7 MOSES MAIMONIDES, Kenneth Seeskin. 8 ANSELM, Thomas Williams. 9 HILDEGARD OF BINGEN, Jenny Bledsoe and Beverly Kienzle. 10 ISLAMIC DEMONOLOGY, Tobias Nünlist. 11 DOGEN, Shigenori Nagatomo. 12 AQUINAS, Andrew Pinsent. 13 JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Giorgio Pini. 14 FIGHTING FOR GOD: JIHAD AND CRUSADE, Christopher van der Krogt. 15 DANTE’S MEDIEVAL REPRESENTATIONS AND ITS CONTEMPORARY TRANSPOSITIONS, Anthony Cristiano. Index.

About the Author :
Andrew Pinsent is Research Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at Oxford University, UK, a Research Fellow of Harris Manchester College and a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford. Chad Meister is Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Bethel College, USA. Charles Taliaferro is Professor of Philosophy at St Olaf College, USA.

Review :
The accomplished editor and outstanding scholars who have contributed to this excellent book have produced a monumental study of the nature of evil and human suffering as it has been understood over the long Middle Ages in the major religions and philosophical worldviews of both Eastern and Western cultures. This superb study will be mandatory reading for anyone interested in this rich, deep topic. Eleonore Stump, Saint Louis University, USA