1.4 Evil and Suffering Flashcards by SyedaFareeha Fatima

Define moral evil

evil committed by humans

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Define natural evil

evil and suffering in the natural world

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Define the problem of evil

How can the god of classical theism exist alongside evil and suffering

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What is the logical problem of evil

An all loving and all powerful god cannot exist alongside evil

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What is the evidential problem of evil?

An omniscient god knows about evil and suffering and would stop it

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One example of natural evil in the bible

the Palgues in Exodus, noah’s ark

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Finish the quote by Rabi Greenberg “No statement should be made that would not …

“be credible in the presence of burning children£

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Finish the quote by Mackie: “a wholly good being …

“elimates evil as far as it can”

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Finish Roth’s quote: “Good though he may be….

“Griffin’s god is too small”

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Who would argue that God is not omnipotent?

Process theologians

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Who would argue that God is not omnibenevolent?

Militant atheists such as Dawkins

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Who would argue that evil does not exist?

Augustine of Hippo - privatio boni

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What is privatio boni?

The absence of good

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What are the 2 parts to the problem of evil?

evil is overwhelming in quality and quantity
pointless suffering

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What quality of God does the evidential problem of evil challenge?

God’s omniscience

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What is the greater good argument?

certain evil and suffering is necessary if it serves a greater purpose

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What is the permian triassic extinction?

A mass extinction event where over 81% of marine life became extinct

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What part of the evidential problem of evil does the permian triassic extinction support?

Evil is overwhelming in quantity and quality

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Who wrote the brothers karamazov?

Dostoyevsky

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What part of the evidential problem of evil does the brothers karamazov support?

evil is overwhelming in quantity and quality

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What examples of evil are found in the Brothers karamazov?

Horse beaten to death by master
Unspeakable cruelties to children

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Finish Ivan’s statement “Heaven is too high a price to pay …

“I would hasten to give my ticket back”

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What is Rowe’s example of evil

A fawn trapped in a forest fire due to a lightning strike

A young girl abused and killed

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What part of the evidential problem of evil does Rowe support support?

Pointless suffering

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What is the free will defence?

God has given up control of humans in order to bring about a greater good

Why is free will necessary according to the free will defence?

Genuine free will requires the ability and opportunity to do good and evil

Who are the supporting scholars for the free will defence?

- Augustine - Mackie - Plantinga

How does the free will defence resolve the problem of evil?

Shows God is not responsible for evil and evil is necessary

What is a criticism of the free will defence?

God could have created a world with only good and neutral actions

What is Augustine's idea on free will?

Evil does not come from God and humans have free will

What are first order goods and evils according to Mackie?

The experiences of events in life of happiness/pleasure or pain/suffering

What are the second order goods and evils according to Mackie?

our responses to events/experiences of happiness or pain

What is the third order good according to Mackie?

Humans having the ability to choose between good and evil

What is the fourth order good according to Mackie?

God creating humans with free will

Why is God justified in allowing evil in the universe

Because it permits the freedom to choose or rejecct the good

Why does Mackie go on to reject the free will defence?

God could have created humans with the ability to only choose good and neutral actions

What is Plantinga's key belief on free will?

It is logically impossible to make people so that they only choose good actions

How does Swinburne support the free will defence?

He argues "God would be like an overprotective parent who will not let his child out of sight for a moment"

Define epistemic distance

Knowledge gap between humans and God

Define theodicy

Justification of God

Define coutnerfactual hypothesis

A world without pain and suffering would be useless

According to Augustine, why does evil exist?

Due to the actions of adam and eve

According to Augustine, why is this world a place of soul deciding?

Because the fate of humans will be decided based on their actions

What is Hick's view on soul deciding

He views it as 'utterly unacceptable'

Who's theodicy did Hick base his on?

St Irenaeus

What is Hick's theodicy

Soul making theodciy

How were humans made according to Hick?

Imperfect

Why is the world a 'vale of soul making' according to Hick?

Humans develop their character until it achieves the likeness of Christ

What is universal salvation?

everyone will eventually get to heaven and be saved

Why does Hick reject the concept of hell?

An all loving God would not subject his creation to hell

How would Hick respond to this criticism: SMT does not address animal suffering

Animals have to suffer to help humans develop

How would Hick respond to this criticism: epistemic distance does not resolve pointless evil

God's plan has to remain a mystery

How would Hick respond to this criticism: SMT does not justify the worst evils

If the worst evil was removed then something else would take its place

What are the origins of process theodicy?

Quantum mechanics which reveal a world in a constant dynamic of flux and change

Who founded Process Theodicy?

Whitehead

What quality of God do process theologians deny?

Omnipotence

What evidence do process theologians use to support God is not omnipotent

Genesis - creation story

What do process theologians reject from Genesis

'creatio ex nihilo'

What alternative translation do proccess theologians provide of Genesis?

The earth being without for and void

What is the traditional translation of the creation story

The earth was without form and void

What was God's role in the creation of the universe?

God did not create it, he simply persuaded matter to come into order

Define transcendent

God as above and beyond space and time

Define pantheism

God is the soul of the universe

Define immutable

God cannot be changed or change

Define impassable

God does not experience pain or suffering

Finish the verse from Genesis 6:6 "The Lord regretted ...

"that he had made human beings on the earth"

What does genesis 6:6 suggest about God

God can regret and change

Where did evil come from according to process theodicy?

as the world became more complex it deviated more from Gods will

Finish the quote by Griffin "Should God for the sake of avoiding the possibilities of persons such as Hitler ...

have precluded the possibility of Jesus"

Finish the quote by Whitehead: "God is the ...

"fellow sufferer who understands"

Finish the quote by Hartshorne "God rejoices in all our joys ...

"and sorrows in all our sorrows"

How does process theodicy explain natural evil?

Natural evils are low grade entities which are difficult for God to affect

Strength of process theodicy

Solves the problem of evil as it show how God and evil can both exist

Weakness of process theodicy

Rejected by traditional Christians as it denies Gods qualities