3.1 Problems Of Evil And Suffering

Question 1

What are the 3 principles which demonstrate the problem of evil and suffering?

Answer 1

1. Evil exists
2. God is omnibenevolent
3. God is omnipotent

Question 2

What is the overarching term for the three principles?

Answer 2

The inconsistent triad

Question 3

Give one example of suffering in a world religion

Answer 3

The suffering of the apostle Paul is a NT example of the problem of suffering and evil. While a huge number of his struggles can be explained by moral evil and are at the hands of men, there is a recorded instance of suffering that would pose a potential issue with the problem of evil.

Question 4

What are the 2 kinds of evil?

Answer 4

1. Moral/Man-made evil and suffering - caused by people, e.g. war, bullying, lying, crime, cruelty
2. Non-moral/ natural evil and suffering - caused by the natural world e.g. earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, volcanoes.

Question 5

Which of the kinds of evil causes a greater problem for theists?

Answer 5

Non-moral suffering poses a problem, as they are out of human control and resultant lay within the control of an all-powerful god.