Ponerology

For a psychiatric study of evil in politics, see Political ponerology.

In theology, ponerology (from Greek πονηρός ponērós, "evil") is the study of evil. Major subdivisions of the study are the nature of evil, the origin of evil, and evil in relation to the Divine Government.[1]

Karl Immanuel Nitzsch outlined his System der christlichen Lehre (System of Christian Doctrine) into three major rubrics: Agathology, or the Doctrine of the Good; Ponerology, or the Doctrine of the Bad; and Soteriology, or the Doctrine of Salvation. He further subdivided ponerology into the topics of Sin and of Death.[2][3]

  1. ^ The Presbyterian Review. 1881. p. 423. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  2. ^ The Methodist Review. Vol. 77. 1895. p. 203. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  3. ^ Nitzsch, C.I. (1849). System of Christian doctrine. T. & T. Clark. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-7905-7603-9. Retrieved 2014-10-18.