This episode of Remnant Radio welcomes novelist and Daily Wire podcaster Andrew Klavan to discuss his book, The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness. Klavan and hosts Joshua Lewis and Michael Rowntree explore the profound and often unsettling ways that art, even art depicting evil, can illuminate truth and point toward God. Klavan shares his personal journey from atheism to faith, explaining how grappling with the problem of evil, as presented by philosophers and artists, ultimately led him to embrace Christianity.

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Klavan argues that shallow, overly-sanitized Christian art fails to engage with the realities of the world and ultimately leaves believers ill-equipped to face suffering and moral complexities. He champions art that confronts the darkness head-on, citing Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment as an example of a work that, despite its grim subject matter, can lead to spiritual awakening.

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The conversation delves into the themes of envy, victimhood, and the internal struggle between good and evil, all of which are embodied in the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Klavan argues that the “kingdom of Cain” represents a world dominated by these destructive forces, while the Christian faith offers a path towards a different kingdom, one characterized by redemption and beauty born out of brokenness. The hosts discuss the importance of having these discussions.

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