PROCESS THEODICY

Question 1

Summarise the main idea behind process theodicy

Answer 1

the creation process is still happening. God made the world out of pre-existing matter, therefore God cannot be fully responsible for evil in the world.

Question 2

what is meant by ex-nihilo

Answer 2

God created the world OUT OF NOTHING.

Question 3

where did the process theory start? who?

Answer 3

David Griffin begins at the start of the Bible, Genesis : ‘ In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth’. He interprets it in diff ways

Question 4

Why is Process Theodicy difficult to accept for many Christians?

Answer 4

it goes against many traditional Christian values (nature of God). it says God may not be omniscient/ omnipotent.

Question 5

how is the process theodicy anthropomorphic?

Answer 5

it makes God more human.

Question 6

how does process theodicy attempt to explain moral evil?

Answer 6

-humans are given total free will
-God can influence + interact to ‘PERSUADE’ humans to make the right choices, but cannot force them
-humans can grow closer with God through difficulties

Question 7

How does process theodicy attempt to explain natural evil

Answer 7

-God is limited, part of the natural world and therefore bound by its natural laws
-world is still in process creation. Gods role was limited to starting off the evolutionary process
-God suffers when evil is committed - “Fellow sufferer who understands”

Question 8

whose ideas did Griffin develop of process theodicy?

Answer 8

WHITEHEAD + HARTSHORNE

Question 9

give 1 criticism of process theodicy

Answer 9

-we lose clarification of how the universe was created if there was pre-existing matter
-reverses God’s main attributes to creation