Wandering in Darkness

Book Description

Wandering in Darkness extends a Thomistic theodicy with interpretations of the biblical stories of Job, Samson, Abraham, and Mary of Bethany to respond to the problem of suffering. Citing research on autism spectrum disorder, Dr. Eleonore Stump argues that the problem of evil is among those philosophical problems that are best investigated and resolved through narratives. The book examines the moral psychology and value theory underlying the medieval theodicy of Thomas Aquinas, also invoking recent developmental psychology research. The book then connects the exegeses of the biblical narratives to Thomistic theodicy to defend the view that God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence can coexist with suffering.

How It Connects To Hebraic Thought

The biblical authors dealt with many forms of suffering, and they often explored suffering through narrative. While many theologians and philosophers have developed abstract theories to address the problem of suffering, Wandering in Darkness also relies heavily on the philosophical resources of biblical narratives.