The Ethics of Love, Anger and Enmity uniquely bridges ancient Christian wisdom with contemporary philosophical and psychological debates on emotion and ethics.

In this book, Brendan Case offers a comprehensive examination of anger as an emotion requiring critical reassessment in contemporary society. Drawing on theological, philosophical and psychological frameworks, Case traces the evolution of attitudes towards anger from ancient traditions through to modern affect theory. The book systematically explores how anger functions as an adaptive emotion, why it has been challenged by major religious and philosophical movements, and what implications this holds for understanding emotional regulation today. Through detailed analysis of scriptural texts, contemporary scholarship and established Christian ethics including that of universal love, the book develops a rigorous case for anger scepticism whilst engaging seriously with defences of so-called righteous anger. It examines the relationship between anger and love, the role of forgiveness as an antidote to destructive emotional patterns, and the theological complexities surrounding divine anger. By integrating exegetical, historical and theoretical approaches, Case demonstrates how theological insights can enrich clinical and philosophical understandings of emotion, offering fresh perspectives on addressing anger and enmity in an increasingly polarised world.

This illuminating volume will be of interest to students and researchers in psychology, psychoanalysis and theology looking at the relationship between religion and affect theory, as well as professional mental health practitioners exploring the impact of anger in the clinic.

Brendan W. Case is the Associate Director for Research of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, USA.