IN FACE OF ANGUISH

Probably one of the most intellectually intriguing and emotionally frustrating problems ever to plague theologians has been that of the existence of evil in the world: how to reconcile evil with the existence of an omnipotent, all-good God. The traditional Christian approach -- which is the one that Father Heath accepts -- tends, once all the theologizing is done, to take a practical stand and concentrate on exploring the good that may result from the presence of evil. Heath explains first the nature of evil (specifically, pain and suffering) and its relation to human freedom, and then, in the second part of the book, sets out ways in which suffering can either be good or be made to produce good, as it were, per accidens, by providing a means of spiritual purification which eventually culminates in salvation. On the whole, the book is surprisingly well written and offers a philosophy -- or, more properly, a theology -- of suffering which, if it does not satisfy the needs of all men, will nonetheless provide a logical and comprehensive explanation of evil that Christians generally, and Catholics specifically, will find convincing and inspiring. In Face of Anguish is written for the general reader, and it may be highly recommended for spiritual reading.