God and the Goodness of Death: A Theological Minority Report

Abstract

This article offers a critical re-evaluation of the role of death in Christian theology, especially as it is viewed in light of the incarnation. It situates the problem of death as an extension of the problem of evil and analyses the classical responses to this problem in the Western Christian tradition. From here, it brings in the theological “minority report” on the role of death that runs through the Western tradition, ultimately using it as a springboard for a constructive repositioning of death as a potential locus of encountering the benevolence of God in Christ.

Keywords

• death
• incarnation
• ambrose of milan
• christology
• problem of evil
• augustine
• theodicy