Irenaeus and Hick Flashcards
How does Irenaeus view the Fall in terms of human development?
Irenaeus views the Fall as a necessary stage in the development of humans towards perfection, akin to children maturing through punishment.
What distinction does Irenaeus make from the Genesis quote ‘God made humans in his image and likeness’?
He distinguishes between being made in the image of God (potential for good) and the likeness of God (achieved by choosing good over evil).
According to Irenaeus, what are the two steps in creation?
- Being made in God’s image with potential for good. 2. Achieving God’s likeness by choosing good over evil, leading to spiritual and moral growth.
What are the two stages of human development according to John Hick?
- Spiritually immature beings. 2. Growth into a relationship with God.
What is the concept of epistemic distance according to John Hick?
It refers to the idea that God’s existence is not evident to humans to allow genuine faith and moral growth rather than obedience out of fear.
How does Peter Vardy’s illustration support Hick’s theodicy?
It compares the relationship to a king forcing a peasant girl to marry him, highlighting that genuine moral actions come from choice, not coercion.
What does Hick propose about salvation?
Hick suggests universal salvation, where no one goes to hell, and post-mortem soul-making is possible.
What is a strength of soul-making in response to the evidential problem of evil?
Encountering and overcoming evil can develop a person’s character and virtue, as evidenced in literature and personal stories of overcoming hardship.
What does Nietzsche’s quote “What does not kill me, makes me stronger” suggest in the context of soul-making?
It supports the idea that experiencing and overcoming difficulties can strengthen individuals.
What is a weakness of the soul-making theodicy concerning dysteleological evil?
Some evils, like a child’s death from cancer or the Holocaust, appear purposeless and soul-breaking rather than soul-making.
How does Hick defend against the criticism of dysteleological evil?
He argues that an imperfect world with free will is necessary for soul-making and that morally ambiguous evil is expected in such a world.
How does soul-making theodicy address the logical problem of God creating us perfect?
It claims that creating fully developed souls is logically impossible, as a fully developed soul must have chosen good over evil, which requires the existence of evil.
What does David Benatar argue against the soul-making theodicy?
Benatar argues that creating beings who will suffer is wrong, as non-existence would prevent the need for suffering and soul-making.
