Camus: A Theological Perspective 0687045797

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James W. Woelfel

camus: A / THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

ABINGDON PRESS NASHVILLE

NEW YORK

camus: A

THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Camus: A Theological Perspective Copyright

©

1975 by Abingdon Press

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Woelfel, James W Camus: a theological perspective. Bibliography: p. 1. Camus, Albert, 1913-1960-Religion and ethics. PQ2605.A3734Z94 848'.9'1409 75-14425 ISBN 0-687-04579-7 Quotations from the following works by Albert Camus are used by permission of the publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.: The Rebel, © Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1956; Resistance, Rebellion and Death, Copyright © 1960 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; The Fall, © Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1956; The Plague, CopYright 1948 by Stuart Gilbert; Lyrical and Critical Essays, © Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1968; Caligula and Three Other Plays, © 1958 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays, © 1955, by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; The Stranger, Copyright 1946 by Alfred A. Knopf. Inc. Used also by permission of Hamish Hamilton. Ltd. These works by Camus, originally published in French, are also used by permission of the French publisher. Editions Gallimard: L'Homme Revolt~, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard, 1950; Lettres a un ami allemand, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard. 1948 (Lettres appeared translated in Resistance, Rebellion and Death); La Chute, © 1956. by Librairie Gallimard; La Peste, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard, 1947; a collection of essays copyrighted between '1942 and 1963 by Librairie Gallimard and Editions Gallimard, translated as Lyrical and Critical Essays; Le Malentendu, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard, 1947; L'ftat de Siege, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard, 1948; Le Justes, Copyright by Librairie Gallimard, 1950; Le Mythe de Sisyphe, Copyright 1942 by Librairie Gallimard; L'ftranger, Copyright 1942 by Librairie Gallimard. Lines from Dylan Thomas' poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And ~eath shall have no dominion" are from The Poems of Dylan Thomas. COPYright 1943 by New Directions Publishing Corporation, Copyright 1952 by Dylan Thomas. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Co.'1poratlpn, and J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. and the Trustees for the Copyrights df tne late Dylan "hom~s.

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Skye

FOR MY DAUGHTERS Allegra AND MY STUDENTS

Sarah

preface This book brings to completion a labor of love that began in 1962. That was the year I discovered for myself the prison writings of the German pastortheologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I became so intensely attracted to the man and what he had to say that I went on to devote two years of research and