That’s the question being asked in a public talk by a University of Worcester expert in a talk at Script Haven bookshop this week.
Professor Darren Oldridge is a specialist in sixteenth and seventeenth-century religious history and has recently given several popular public talks around our understanding of the Devil.
“People often ask me if I believe in the Devil,” said Professor Oldridge. “I don’t!”
He continued: “But of all the figures in the Bible, the Devil is one of the most widely known. He is instantly recognisable, despite his various guises, and his character is well understood.”
He added: “The Devil is often portrayed as charming, dangerous, even humorous, and people respond to that in the same way we do with villains in films, there’s this fearless energy that can seem attractive”
The talk is aimed at people of all faiths and none. Professor Oldridge said: “You don’t have to be a believer to take an interest in the topic, because it’s about what people through history have thought about the Devil, whether we share these ideas or not. These ideas matter, and have often had big effects.”
The talk, Why Do We Like The Devil, is at 7pm at Script Haven book shop on High Street Worcester, and tickets can be booked through the Script Haven website.
For information on courses at the University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries, telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk