Bøker av Richard H. Bell

The second volume in a two-part analysis of Wagner's most famous workand its theological message.

Wagner's Ring is one of the greatest of all artworks of Westerncivilization, but what is it all about? The power and mystery of Wagner'screation was such that even he felt he stood before his work 'as though beforesome puzzle'. A clue to the Ring's greatness lies in its multiple avenues of self-disclosure and thecorresponding plethora of interpretations that over the years has granted amplescope for directors, and will no doubt do so well into the distant future. Onepossible interpretation, which Richard Bell argues should be taken seriously,is the Ring as Christiantheology. In this first of two volumes, Bell considers, among other things, howthe composer's Christian interests may be detected in the 'forging' of his Ring, in his appropriation of sources (whether theybe myths and sagas, writers, poets, or philosophers), and in works composedaround the same time, especially his Jesus ofNazareth. 

Rethinking Justice lifts up and restores an idea of justice found in classical writers as well as more recent thinkers. Justice deals with righting wrongs and restoring peace to individuals and communities. We have lost sight of this and must return to it in mind and practice.

Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, the challenges of post-independence Africa and other developments. He also discusses the concepts of negritude, African socialism and race.

This analysis of the social and political thought of Simone Weil pays particular attention to Weil's concept of justice as compassion. It describes the ways in which Weil's concept of justice stands in contrast with liberal "rights-based" views of justice and focuses upon aspects of Weil's thought.