The Beauty and the Horror: Searching For God In A Suffering World - Hardcover

In a world so obviously imperfect and bearing no obvious hallmarks of purpose, the challenges facing Christianity are severe. Richard Harries is one of those who realise that and takes the challenges seriously. Those of us who are not in the end persuaded by his Christian defence can nonetheless appreciate the sensitivity and intelligence with which it is mounted. It is the best case that could be made. --Andrew Copson, Director of the British Humanist Society

Mingling intellectual rigour with spiritual wisdom, Harries helps his readers to grasp the relevance of the insights at the core of the Christian faith. --Alister E. McGrath, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, University of Oxford

With all his characteristic clarity of thought, Richard Harries probes how we can find God in suffering and horror as well as beauty. . . The result is a profound statement of what it means to have faith in the living tradition of Christianity, guided by hope and love. --Jane Shaw, Dean for Religious Life and Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University

Life is at once wonderful and appalling, beautiful and horrific. 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. 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 loving God. 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 non-believer alike, protest against the world as it is, rather than seeking forms of escape, whether in this life or the next.