Deliver Us from Evil

RICHARD H. BELL
Deliver Us from Evil
Interpreting the Redemption from the Power of Satan in New
Testament Theology
[Erlöse uns von dem Bösen. Eine Interpretation der Erlösung von Satan in neutestamentlicher
Theologie.]
2007. XXIII, 439 pages.
WUNT I 216
Published in English.
The New Testament idea of deliverance from the power of Satan has posed special problems
and even acute embarrassment for interpreters since the Enlightenment. Often the Gospel
exorcisms are rationalized or a demythologizing agenda is pursued which divorces redemption
from the world in which we live.
Richard H. Bell stresses that if the deliverance from Satan is understood within an appropriate
understanding of myth, then it can lead not only to an enrichment of New Testament Theology
but also to a deeper understanding of the world in which we nd ourselves. A theory of myth is
developed which does justice not only to the world of 'narrative' but also to the mysteries of the
'physical world'. This is done by building on the phenomenal distinction as introduced by Kant
and further developed by Schopenhauer. The resulting theory of myth is then applied to two
seemingly disparate examples of redemption from Satan found in the New Testament: rst, the
exorcisms of Jesus; secondly, the redemption of the human being from the power of Satan
through the cross and resurrection of Christ as found in the Pauline tradition and in the letter
to the Hebrews. Then the author makes an attempt to relate these two forms of redemption to
each other and to draw some conclusions as to how these myths of deliverance from Satan can
be considered true.
ISBN 978-3-16-149452-9
cloth 109,00 €
Richard H. Bell Born 1954; 1979 PhD in Theoretical Atomic Physics; 1991 DrTheol in Protestant
Theology; Reader in Theology at the University of Nottingham, UK.
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