THE PROBLEM OF EVIL: MONOTHEISM AND DUALISM

Themes Religion and Philosophy Evil and Empire Southwest Asia: Hebrew Monotheism and Persian Zoroastrianism Job

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

Definitions

• Worldviews and modes of rationality
  
  
  
• Religion =
  
  
  
• Philosophy =
  
  
  
• why is there evil in the world?
  
  

Religions in Southwest Asia

• Sumerian polytheism: Gilgamesh
  
  
• Hebrew monotheism: chosen people conquered
  
  
  • Assyrian Empire: Assurbanipal *
    
    
  • Persian Empire: Cyrus
    
    
  • diaspora and Holocaust
    
    
  • Evil and sin; judgment and atonement
    
    
    
    
• Persian Zoroastrianism
  
  
  • Prophet Zoroaster
    
    
  • Zarathustra: Ahura Mazda vs Angra Mainyu
    
    
  • Last Judgment: sword bridge
    
    
  • magi
    
    
  • influence:
    
    
    

Conclusions

• good and evil
  
  
• ethics and empire