Augustinian theodicy 2B

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

-Theodicy is based on Genesis 1
-Focuses on ‘God saw all that he has made it and it was very good’
-Suggested that God made the world without imperfections
-Universe was created ex-nihilo - evil can’t be traced back to God
-Augustine- evil is the privitation or the lack of goodness

Question 2

Evil as a consequence of sin

Answer 2

-God originally created free from evil
-Created universe ex-nihilo
-Evil entered- Angels & humans misused free will
-Gift of free will entails responsibility
-Have the capacity to turn away from God
-‘The turning itself is wicked’ (Augustine)

Question 3

The fall of humans & creation

Answer 3

-‘All evil is either sin or the punishment of sin’ (Hick)
-For Augustine all of humanity was ‘seminally present in the lines of Adam’ all humanity share the guilt and sin
-All deserve some punishment
-‘Natural evil’ is the consequence of humanity’s moral choices- turning away from God bought corruption of order

Question 4

Evil as a privitation

Answer 4

-Evil is not a substance or part of created order
-Evil is an absence or privitation og goodness
-Humans & angels turning away = privitation of original order
-Every good has the potential to be corrupted
-Evil is when you lose goodness, can’t exist independently without good e.g. sight and blindness