PHILOSOPHY - THEODICIES

Question 1

AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY - CREATION OF THE WORLD

Answer 1

• BELIEVED AN OMNIPOTENT GOD CREATED A WORLD LACKING IN IMPERFECTIONS - USED EVIDENCE FROM SCRIPTURE TO SHOW THIS ‘GOD SAW ALL THAT HE HAD MADE, AND IT WAS GOOD
• HE ALSO ARGUED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CREATE EVIL; IT IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS WHEN THERE IS A LACK OF GOOD

Question 2

AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY - EXISTENCE OF MORAL EVIL

Answer 2

• ENTERED THE WORLD DUE TO HUMANS BEING GIVEN FREEWILL - THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE
• GOD DIDN’T INTERVENE WITH THIS AS IT WOULD BE SEEN AS INTERFERING WITH FREEWILL
• HUMANS CARRY THIS EVIL WITH THEM - ‘SEMINALLY PRESENT IN THE LION OF ADAM’

Question 3

AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY - NATURAL EVIL & HOPE FOR HUMANITY

Answer 3

NATURAL EVIL
- A RESULT OF ORIGINAL SIN - IMPACT SO PROFOUND IT DESTROYED THE PERFECT NATURE OF THE WORLD - LEADS TO NATURAL DISASTERS
HOPE FOR HUMANITY
- GOD IS OMNIBENEVOLENT DUE TO THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON FOR THE ATONEMENT OF HUMANITY
- THIS SACRIFICE SUGGESTS OMNIBENEVOLENCE, AND THE ATONEMENT SUGGESTS HUMAN SIN BEING FORGIVEN

Question 4

STRENGTHS OF AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY

Answer 4

• BIBLICALLY BASED - EVIDENCE BEHIND IT
• FREEWILL - SEEN AS A GIFT FROM GOD, WITHOUT FREEWILL HUMANS = ROBOTS
• EFFECTIVE - THE THEORY DOES WHAT IT SETS OUT TO DO - RESPOND TO A P.O.E ARGUMENT
• CONCEPT OF EVIL - IMPOSSIBLE TO CREATE EVIL, IT ONLY EXISTS WHEN THERE IS A LACK OF GOOD

Question 5

WEAKNESSES OF AUGUSTINE’S THEORDICY

Answer 5

• BIBLICALLY BASED - BASED ON METAPHORICAL IDEAS THAT ONLY SOME INTERPRET LITERALLY - DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS
• OMNISCIENT GOD - NO REF. TO OMNISCIENCE - GOD WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FORESEE SIN
• OMNIBENEVOLENCE - ONLY THOSE WHO SEE IT AS ATONEMENT GO TO HEAVEN - GOD = NOT MERCIFUL
  LOGIC PROB. - IDEA THAT EVIL COMES FROM NOTHING = IMPOSSIBLE

Question 6

IRENAEUS’ THEODICY CREATION OF THE WORLD

Answer 6

• GOD = RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CREATION OF THE WORLD AND ITS CONTENTS
• MAN CREATED IMPERFECTLY TO SET UP WITH THE TASK OF ACHIEVING GODLY PERFECTION - ‘LET US MAKE MAN IN MY IMAGE AND AFTER IN MY LIKENESS’

Question 7

IRENAEUS’ THEODICY - EXISTENCE OF EVIL

Answer 7

• MISUSE OF FREE WILL LEADS TO EVIL I.E. ORIGINAL SIN
• EVIL WAS NOT PREVENTED BY GOD AS IT WOULD MEAN HE IS INTERVENING WITH FREEWILL - HICK ARGUES THAT GOD HAD TO MAINTAIN AN EPISTEMIC DISTANCE FROM HIS CREATION
• THE WORLD CANNOT BE PERFECT AS IT WOULD BE TOO EASY TO ACHIEVE PERFECTION

Question 8

STRENGTHS OF IRENAEUS’ THEODICY

Answer 8

• BIBLICALLY BASED - USES BIBLICAL EVIDENCE
• WORKS - DOES WHAT IT INTENDS TO DO - RESPOND TO A P.O.E ARGUMENT
• GOAL IN LIFE - PROVIDES A PURPOSE IN LIFE

Question 9

WEAKNESSES OF IRENAEUS’ THEODICY

Answer 9

• SACRIFICE OF JESUS - NOT MENTIONED THEREFORE MEANINGLESS
• UNFAIR - EVERYONE WILL GO TO HEAVEN, UNFAIR TO THOSE WHO WORKED FOR IT
• SUFFERING - SUFFERING IS ALLOWED IN HIS THEODICY
• CONTRADICTORY - CONCLUDING WITH EVERYONE GOING TO HEAVEN SUGGESTS PREDETERMINISM