Process theology/theodicy

Question 1

Who is David Ray Griffin?

Answer 1

An American professor of philosophy of religion and theology

Question 2

What does Griffin reject?

Answer 2

• He rejects the traditional Christian view about God creating the universe from nothing (creatio ex nihilo based on Genesis 1:1-3)
• Aquinas’ widely accepted view of omnipotence, which is that God has the power to create any logically possible state of affairs

Question 3

What does Griffin believe is the relationship between God and the universe?

Answer 3

The relationship between God and the universe is panentheistic - God is like water

Question 4

What is process theodicy?

Answer 4

The belief that God is not omnipotent, but is instead constantly evolving with the world and that evil exists due to the limitations of the world, rather than due to the will of an omnipotent God.

Question 5

What is panentheism?

Answer 5

Panentheism considers God and the world to be inter-related with the world being in God and God being in the world

Question 6

Why is process theology a satisfactory response for evil?

Answer 6

• God is bound by natural laws
• God is not omnipotent
• God could not create a perfect world (explains natural evil)
• God is dipolar (partly distinct and immersed in the world)
• A.N. Whitehead = “God is the fellow sufferer who understands”

Question 7

What is a critique for the belief that process theology is a satisfactory response to the problem of evil?

Answer 7

Many people would not be willing to accept a God that is not omnipotent since they would not be worthy of worship

Question 8

Why is process theory not a satisfactory response for evil?

Answer 8

• God is somewhat accountable for evil and suffering
• This is because God was a catalyst for the evolutionary process of creation knowing that he would not be able to control it
• Griffin = “God is responsible for evil in the sense of having urged the creation forward”

Question 9

What is a critique for the belief that process theology is not a satisfactory response to the problem of evil?

Answer 9

Would it not have been more evil to have never started the process of creation and not given the opportunity of life?

Question 10

What does Gil Edwards state?

Answer 10

It is only through suffering that qualities such as courage, trust and tolerance have an opportunity to come out to the fore