Irenaean theodicy Flashcards
Leibniz’s quote
“our world is the best possible of all worlds”
God did the best he could
What does Irenaenus believe
Man was not made perfect. Man is made in the image of God but does not possess the likliness because we are created in a state of immaturity and have to develop like Adam and Eve. The trials of life are a test to struggle for perfection and posses the likeliness of God.
John Hicks vale of soul making
He belives it is a mistake to see Gods biggest concern as making this world the most comfortable as possible. That could be compared to a human making their pets cage as cosy as possible. The correct analogy would be a child and their parent. God wants us to have pleasure but also to possess moral integrity only achieved through experiencing difficulties
Hidden God at an epistemic distance
God purposefully set the world up as of there was no God because only love that is chosen freely is true
Soul making after death
The point of suffering is that it contributes to soul making of those that have to bear it even after death. When the soul is perfected it goes to heaven.
D.Z Phillips criticism
argues that the magnitude of suffering experienced in the Holocaust cannot be justified by any apparent gains. He says humans are incapable of understanding God and rejects soul making because suffering cannot be justified regardless of the good.
Michael Tooley criticism
We do not all suffer equally and therefore cannot develop in the same way. E.g. terminal illnesses in children dont allow them to develop.
Henri Blocher criticism
Rejects universalism (the idea that everyone eventually goes to heaven). Universalism contradicts free will which is central to the Irenaean theodicy because humans cannot choose to reject God as it is predetermined.
Strengths
Fits with evolution
Suffering has a purpose
Gives people a goal
