Items related to The Devil: A Biography

The Devil: A Biography - Hardcover

Stanford, Peter

 
9780805030822: The Devil: A Biography

Synopsis

Evil - disturbing, inexplicable, deeply rooted - persists. Inching toward the millennium, we speak of the Devil once again: in tabloid accounts of cults, in popular novels, and even in scholarly theological works. We are back where we began 2,000 years ago: going to the Devil.
Now, in this informed, lucid, and very readable biography, Peter Stanford introduces us to this figure of fascination. Tracing the idea back to the pre-Christian era with its many devils, he pauses to explore Judaism's approach, then moves on to concentrate on Christianity's contribution: the creation of the monster we know today. Stanford casts his net widely to include literature and the arts, folklore and psychology, history and theology, and he distills a wealth of complex information - from early Church teachings to medieval iconography, from witchcraft and satanism to satanic cults and modern-day exorcisms. The result is a lively, engaging account of an age-old enemy.

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Book Description

Brilliant, original and controversial study of the Devil throughout history, right up to the present day.

From the Back Cover

He's devilishly handsome. Or is he in fact not a he? Is the Devil really a worldly power, or is he just a scapegoat for all that humanity cannot explain about the world - or will not own up to in itself?

In The Devil: A Biography, Peter Stanford traces the development of the character and role of Satan through the ages and examines how we tackle evil today.

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