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Det onda och den onde: kontrasterande uppfattningar om det onda inom katolska kyrkan
University of Gävle, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ämnesavdelningen för religionsvetenskap.
2006 (Swedish)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesisAlternative title
Evil and the Evil One : conflicting ideas about evil in the Catholic Church (English)
Abstract [en]

The nature of evil is clearly defined in catholic dogma and tradition but, though very rarely addressed, what is actually preached and transmitted in pastoral context often differs significantly from this line of thought. Based on the experience that the topic is often evaded or treated poorly, as well as on information concerning a recent increase in reports of demonic possession in western society, this study explored the schism within the church concerning evil. It was noted that embarrassment - as in the face of 21st century-enlightened-thought the Church still officially states the existence of the Devil and associated malevolent spirits - seems to have promoted an intellectual cover-up. While not desiring to inhibit freedom of thought or opinion, this work aimed at establishing clarity, coherence and truthfulness concerning teachings of the Church, and implications. It was argued that left in the dark as to the Church’s concept of spiritual reality, and ensuing controversy, the laity is not given fair opportunity to make existential choices, reach own conclusions or put forth important questions and issues for debate. The study was grounded in a systematic presentation of catholic dogma on evil, followed by a phenomenologically inspired method of analysis. Recent theological arguments put forth by the New Theology were related to extracts of an extensive interview with a catholic exorcist in Sweden (included in full). It was shown how the traditional Christian idea of Jesus Christ is inseparably bound up with, and based on, the concept of spiritual forces of light/good and darkness/evil, mutually repelling each other. It was concluded therefore that annihilation of the devil in one way or another, inevitably ends up by making the incarnation pointless, deconstructing not only traditional concepts of evil but the whole Christian idea in itself. The need for open discussion was stressed, including uncomfortable implications of belief in the existence of a spiritual evil.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2006. , p. 98
Keywords [sv]
ondska, djävulen, exorcism, besatthet, synd, skuld, onda andar, demoner, exorcist, katolska kyrkan
National Category
Religious Studies Religious Studies Religious Studies Humanities
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-3660Archive number: Rel D ht 2005:3OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hig-3660DiVA, id: diva2:158310
Subject / course
Religious studies
Presentation
(English)
Uppsok
Humanities, Theology
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2009-02-01 Created: 2009-02-01 Last updated: 2017-11-08Bibliographically approved

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CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

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Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • harvard-cite-them-right
  • ieee
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  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • sv-SE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
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  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • de-DE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf