Problem of Evil

Question 1

What is a theodicy?

Answer 1

A justifcation of God in the face of evil and suffering

Question 2

Name three scholars who have theodicies

Answer 2

Augustine, Ireneaus and Hick

Question 3

How does Augustine’s theodicy begin?

Answer 3

God created the world perfectly

Question 4

What is evil, according to Augustine?

Answer 4

Evil is a privation or an absence of good

Question 5

What is a privation?

Answer 5

A lack of an essential characteristic or property

Question 6

What is Augustine’s example of privation?

Answer 6

Blindness is a privation / absence of sight

Question 7

What three key terms make up the Inconsistent Triad?

Answer 7

Onmipotence, omni-benevolence and evil exists

Question 8

Name two types of evil

Answer 8

Natural evil and moral evil

Question 9

Give an example of moral evil

Answer 9

Murder, stealing, terrorist attacks, telling lies

Question 10

Give an example of natural evil

Answer 10

Hurricane, tsunmai, earthquake, disease

Question 11

Who/what does Augustine blame for natural evil?

Answer 11

The Fall of angels causing disharmony in the natural world

Question 12

Who does Augustine blame for moral evil?

Answer 12

The Fall of mankind - Adam and Eve

Question 13

What is the first sin called, committed by Adam and Eve?

Answer 13

Original sin

Question 14

Why is God justified in punishing all humans?

Answer 14

Because all humans were seminally present in Adam and share in the original sin

Question 15

How does Augustine describe all evil and suffering?

Answer 15

Either sin or punishment for sin

Question 16

For Augustine, why does god send Jesus?

Answer 16

To rescue people from sin and to take their punishment on himself

Question 17

How do scholars’ describe Augustine’s theodicy?

Answer 17

Soul-deciding

Question 18

What is Scleiermacher’s logical argument against Augustine?

Answer 18

How could a prefect world go wrong?

Question 19

How did Schleiermacher accuse Augustine of making a moral error?

Answer 19

Why did God create Hell? Did he know humans would choose evil?

Question 20

How does Schleiermacher accuse Augustine of making a scientific error?

Answer 20

Biological error - all humans cannot have been seminally present in Adam;

Question 21

How does B. Davies support Augustine?

Answer 21

Evil is not properly a substance but “a gap between what there is and what there ought to be”

Question 22

How is free will used to support the Augustinian theodicy?

Answer 22

Genuine free will requires the possibility to choose evil

Question 23

How does Ireneaus suggest God created the world?

Answer 23

With evil and suffering; not perfectly

Question 24

How does Ireneaus suggest humans were created?

Answer 24

In the image of God but after his likeness (need to develop into the likeness of God)

Question 25

How do humans develop into the likeness of God?

Answer 25

By experiencing suffering, making good choices and developing character and virtues

Question 26

Give examples of virtues

Answer 26

compassion, charity, kindness

Question 27

Why did Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the forbidden tree, according to Ireneaus?

Answer 27

They were immature, like children, and made a mistake

Question 28

What example doe Ireneaus use of humans and God cooperating?

Answer 28

The potter moulding the clay

Question 29

Why does Ireneaus use the example of the potter?

Answer 29

Humans need to cooperate with God in order to develop

Question 30

How is Jesus seen by Ireneaus?

Answer 30

As sent by God as part of the learning process and also suffered

Question 31

What does Ireneaus envisage after death?

Answer 31

The traditional concept of God's judgement and the separation of those who reject God and those who make peace with God

Question 32

Who developed Ireneaus' theodicy?

Answer 32

John Hick

Question 33

What does Hick call the Irenaean Theodicy?

Answer 33

A soul-making theodicy

Question 34

How does Hick describe our world?

Answer 34

As a vale of soul-making

Question 35

Why does Hick describe our world as soul-making?

Answer 35

Because it seems purpose built to teach us and develop virtues / character

Question 36

What reasons does Hick give for God not making humans perfect?

Answer 36

They would be like robots and would not be free to choose to do good or to love

Question 37

What is epistemic distance?

Answer 37

God's existence is not obvious to humans in order to allow free will.

Question 38

What is Peter Vardy's example to support the idea humans need to be free to choose to love?

Answer 38

The King and the peasant girl

Question 39

Where does Hick argue everyone will end up?

Answer 39

In heaven

Question 40

What key term describes Hick's idea that all will go to heaven?

Answer 40

Universal Salvation

Question 41

What is Mackie's criticism of the Ireneaen Theodicy?

Answer 41

"could not our world be a little more hospitable and still teach us what we need to know?"

Question 42

How does Swinburne counter Mackie's argument?

Answer 42

By saying this would be a "toy world where things matter, but not very much"

Question 43

Why does Dostoyevsky disagree with the Ireneaen Theodicy?

Answer 43

The suffering of innocents cannot be justified and God must be malevolent to allow it

Question 44

What does Ivan Karamzov decide to do at the end of Dostoyevsky's novel?

Answer 44

To return his ticket to heaven

Question 45

How does DZ Phillips argue against the Ireneaen Theodicy?

Answer 45

True love does not use evil as a means to an end

Question 46

How does Process Theology seek to justify God?

Answer 46

God is not omnipotent, suffers alongside his creation and empathises with us

Question 47

How does Swinburne suggest that God limits suffering?

Answer 47

By allowing death to be part of the world, suffering is not infinte

Question 48

What argument can be used against Hick's universal salvation?

Answer 48

That it seems unjust to allow both Mother Theresa and Hitler into heaven

Question 49

For Hick, why do we need natural laws?

Answer 49

It is part of the predictable universe

Question 50

Explain the Inconsistent Triad

Answer 50

God cannot be omnipotent (able to prevent evil) or God cannot be all loving (willing to prevent evil) or evil does not exist