In his latest book, Reviving Old Scratch: Demons and the Devil for Doubters and the Disenchanted, Richard Beck argues that
modern Christians should restore a belief in the forces of evil. Michial Farmer interviews him for this episode of Christian Humanist Profiles.
Thanks for this interview. The discussion of Ransom Theory (“Christus Victor”) vs. Satisfaction Theory was intriguing. I found myself wanting to say “Yes!” and “Amen!” to both. Christ rescued us from Satan, sin, and death, and he paid the debt that the wages of sin required on our behalf. Not sure you can accommodate the breadth of scripture of what Christ accomplished on the cross without embracing both.
Came across this article from Tabletalk magazine http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/augustine-doctor-grace/ . It is an article on Augustine, and these comments on Augustine’s take on evil lead me to think of the conversation in this podcast. Here is the excerpt:
“His reflections on Manichaeistic dualism led to one of his most profound theological points concerning evil. In his Soliloquies, written soon after his conversion, he addressed God as one who “to the few that flee for refuge to that which truly is, showest evil to be nothing.” Since God created everything, evil does not have an existence independent of good things. Evil is a privation of good. When all good is gone, nothing exists. Evil is only an absence of good. It is not an independent substance that invades and contaminates, but must borrow from God’s good and diminish its glory. The substances in which evil resides are themselves good. Evil is removed not by eradication of a contrary nature, such as the Manichees would conceive, but by purifying of the thing itself which was thus depraved. Truth and falsehood dwell in the same tension, according to Augustine, for nothing is false except by some imitation of the true.”
Evil as a privation of good prompts some questions in my mind with respect to demons, spiritual warfare, atonement, Christ and culture stuff, and the like. Any thoughts on Augustine on evil with respect to your conversation with Dr. Beck?