Evil and suffering Flashcards
Natural Evil
- Evil which is naturally occurring in the world
* Earthquakes, Tsunami’s, etc.
Moral Evil
- The result of human action
* Murder, Theft, etc.
Inconsistent Triad
- God is all-loving, all-powerful and all-knowing, yet evil still exists.
- Influenced by Mackie, Hume and Epicurus
Theodicy
- An argument that suggests God is right to allow the existence of evil and suffering
- In some way or another, they are necessary
Epistemic Distance
- God keeps a distance from humanity in order not to overwhelm it.
- Hick’s view of the human/God relationship
Counter-factual hypothesis
If God interferes,then humanity can’t develop
Omniscient
- All-knowing
* An attribute of God
Omnipotent
- All-powerful
* An attribute of God
Omni-benelovent
- All-loving
* An attribute of God
Transcendent
- The idea that God is above and beyond space and time
* An attribute of God
Free will
• He idea that human beings are free to make their own choices in life
Libertarianism
• Humans have a degree of free will and so can be held morally responsible for their actions
Casual Determinism
- The view that every event is determined by preceding events and conditions of the laws of nature
- Humans don’t have free will
Compatibilism
- A person is free to act within the constraints of their own motives and desires
- Determinism and free will are compatible
Panentheism
- The view that ‘all is in God’
* In Process Theology, God is the soul of the universe, so is not transcendent.
Parapsychology
• The investigation of paranormal and psychic phenomena
Millenarianism
- A belief in a 1000-year reign of Christ on earth
* It concludes with a universal resurrection, judgement and the just going to heaven and sinful to hell
