Evil, Its Essence and Origin

The book "Evil, Its Essence and Origin" is one of the most profound and systematic theological studies of the problem of evil in pre-revolutionary Russia. Priest and theologian Timofey Butkevich examines evil not only as a moral phenomenon but also as a metaphysical and social reality. Engaging in polemics with Schopenhauer's pessimism, utilitarianism, pantheism, and materialism, the author argues: evil is not an independent essence, but a distortion of good, arising from the abuse of free will. The book combines the heritage of the Church Fathers with attention to contemporary philosophical teachings, including a critique of popular criteria for distinguishing good from evil. Butkevich's work is relevant today when the problem of evil again becomes the subject of public and theological discussion in the context of moral, political, and existential crises.