God, Evil, and Destiny

Dr. Costi Bendaly (1926–2013) was a prominent Lebanese thinker, educator, psychologist, and Orthodox theologian, considered one of the key intellectual and spiritual pillars of the Orthodox Youth Movement and El-Mina, Tripoli. He was distinguished by his ability to integrate modern psychology with Christian theology, devoting his life to teaching, writing, and pastoral guidance. His approach was characterized by openness and by addressing contemporary intellectual and social issues from a deep Christian, humanistic, and psychological perspective.

Born in El-Mina, Tripoli, in northern Lebanon on August 22, 1926, he obtained his high school diploma from the Frères school at the age of fifteen. He began his teaching career in 1942 to support his family following the death of his father. He continued his education, graduating from the École Supérieure des Lettres in Beirut, before traveling to Lyon, France, to complete his postgraduate studies.

He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a diploma in applied psychology, and received his doctorate in 1981 with a dissertation addressing the relationship between Freudism and Christianity. He worked as a professor of psychology and education at the Lebanese University and taught in public secondary education for nearly half a century, leaving behind a remarkable intellectual legacy until his passing on December 12, 2013. To learn more about the author, visit his website (https://www.costibendaly.org/).

Major Works:

• Sex and Its Human Meaning: A book considered one of the first Levantine works to approach sex education with educational and spiritual awareness.
• The God of Contemporary Atheism: An intellectual and critical study that examined modern atheist trends in an analytical style.
• How We Understand the Story of Adam and Eve Today: A symbolic and theological reading of the texts of Genesis.
• Israel Between Calling and Rejection: A deconstruction of Zionist concepts and a reading of the Old Testament from a Christian perspective.
• Faith and the Consumer Society: A spiritual and social critique of the contemporary consumer lifestyle.
• God, Evil, and Destiny: An intellectual and theological reading addressing the problem of evil and human destiny in light of faith.