Harvard University professor James Wood lectured on Fyodor Dostoevsky Wednesday night, an event that drew such a large turnout that it was moved from the George Sherman Union’s Terrace Lounge into the Conference Auditorium.
The lecture was part of the Distinguished Lecture series on evil sponsored by the BU Institute for Philosophy and Religion, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and co-sponsored by the Luce Program in Scripture and the Literary Arts.
This was the fourth lecture this semester on the topic of evil, which will continue through the spring.
The BU Institute for Philosophy and Religion was founded 25 years ago by the university’s religion and theology departments. Professor David Eckel, the Institute’s director, said the Institute was founded to address common concerns of humanity and the world at large. The major area of concern for the past few years has been evil.
Eckel said he was very happy to have Wood as a lecturer on the topic calling him a “very fine literary critic” who is “particularly sensitive to religious issues.”
“It is very important to examine issues such as these that are often forced on us by the world in which we live,” Eckel said. “The examination is important because it brings about reconciliation, overcomes stereotypes and conflicts and ultimately makes better human beings.”
Wood addressed the issue of suffering in Dostoevsky’s works as an issue of theodicy.
He posed several questions, including, “Why would a loving God allow for suffering?” and “What is the role of suffering in humanity?”
Throughout his lecture, Wood addressed topics including suffering, guilt, punishment, morals and religion. Wood brought up several ideas including the concept of two distinct types of suffering – useful and useless.
After Wood’s oration, humanities professor Katherine O’Connor provided the audience with her take on Wood’s lecture and the topic of suffering in Dostoevsky’s writings. When O’Connor finished, Wood took questions from the audience.
Many of the students in attendance were there for classes and general interest in Dostoevsky’s work.
College of Arts and Science freshman Elisa Waters said she found Wood’s lecture fascinating.
“I had to come to the event for my Russian literature class,” she said, “but I thought his ideas on the two types of suffering were interesting.”
CAS freshman Rebecca Levant said although Wood’s points were controversial, she enjoyed the topics.
“[He] made many valid points,” she said, “some of which I did, and some which I did not agree with.”
Wood said he has had a long-term interested in suffering and its connection to literature.
“I became interested in the issue of suffering during my teenage years,” he said after the lecture. “I was brought up in a strict Evangelical church and started to question the faith that I had during these years. My quest to answer these questions led me to the issue of suffering and pain and, in turn, to Dostoevsky.”
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