Understanding African Philosophy serves as a critical guide to some of the most important issues in modern African philosophy. Richard Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, the challenges of post-independence Africa, and other developments in African philosophy. Chapters discuss the value of African oral and written texts for philosophy, concepts of negritude, African socialism and race as well as current discussions in international development ethics connected to poverty and human suffering. Two chapters are focused on moral issues related to...

This probing and engaging book is a critical guide to some of the most important issues in modern African philosophy. Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, and the challenges of post-independence Africa, and the history and achievement of the various options in African philosophy. The book discusses African oral and written philosophical traditions, concepts of 'negritude', 'African Socialism', and 'race' and topics in international development ethics.

In Rethinking Justice, Richard H. Bell lifts up and restores an idea of justice found in classical writers such as Socrates and Seneca as well as in more recent thinkers. Justice, classically, has dealt with righting wrongs and restoring peace to individuals and human communities. We have lost sight of this in our modern political and legal dealings and must find a way to return it to mind and to practice. Each chapter looks at ways to restore such reconciliatory practices to the idea of justice that can be found in our contemporary life and literature and focuses on numerous recent cases of...

Richard H. Bell analyzes the social and political thought of Simone Weil, paying particular attention to Weil's concept of justice as compassion. Bell describes the ways in which Weil's concept of justice stands in contrast with liberal 'rights-based' views of justice, and focuses upon central aspects of Weil's thought, including 'attention, ' human suffering and 'affliction, ' and the importance of 'a spiritual way of life' in reshaping the individual's role in civic life. Simone Weil: The Way of Justice as Compassion is a valuable addition to the scholarship on this important thinker and a...

Richard Bell examines the impact of Paul's life changing experience before Damascus on his theological understanding of Israel. The book considers the development of Paul's view concerning the election and salvation of Israel, paying special attention to 1 Thessalonians, Galatians and Romans. The author examines Paul's critique of Israel's religion in the light of traditional protestant approaches and the 'new perspective'. The work concludes by considering some contemporary issues relating to Israel in the light of Paul's theology.

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 find ourselves. A theory of myth is developed...