Mark Leuchter, a religion professor at Temple University who studies ancient Judaism, said the devil and hell still have relevance in modern culture. Leuchter, who is teaching a class on the history of the devil, said that whether you believe in an actual satanic figure or not, the devil serves as a symbol of all that is wrong in the world.
The existence of the devil is an argument that we live in an unjust universe, rather than a chaotic one without meaning, said Leuchter.
“If there is a devil who is the enemy of God, who will eventually be punished at the end of time — then you can look forward to the universe bending towards justice.”
Leuchter also said that believing in the devil means being aware of the potential for evil in every human heart — even among the most spiritual people.
“If you’re playing by the rules of religious scripture, then to ignore the potential for evil within human communities and in the human soul is to ignore the rules of the game you profess to play,” he said.
This article originally appeared here.
