Process Thought Flashcards
What is the outline of the theodicy?
God did not create the universe ex-nihilo and he is not powerful enough to control the raw materials he had to work with. In this account God is more like Plato’s demiverse
Griffin argues that there is a power value relationship- the more power of free will we have. The greater amount of joy and sadness is available
A reduction in suffering is a reduction in freedom
God is not impotent- he has persuasive powers NOT coercive
Who are the key thinkers
David griffin and A.N Whitehead
How does griffin look at moral evil differently from other theodicies
He argues that missed or wasted opportunities are, Themselves great moral evils. This gives humans an increased responsibility to act morally in the world
What is the end result of moral evil
It will all turn out for the best- gods omniscience before creation guarantees he created the best possible world.
How is natural evil caused?
By creatures deviating from gods will. However these creatures have little to no free will. God finds it hard or impossible to pursued them. eg animals
What specifically happens as a result of god having to create the world from pre- existent and imperfect raw materials?
Natural disasters
What positive side effects does natural disasters have?
This has many commonalities with hick/ Iranues soul making theodicy.
BECAUSE:
An unpredictable world gives us greater opportunity to develop and ultimately improve our surroundings in the long term
The logical problem and gods Omniscience
Gods omnipotence reminded from his divine attributes- in this sense it is not resolved but side stepped or might say accepted.
HOWEVER! Without Omnipotence, the problem does seem to collapse- but is this worth gods worship?
The logical problem of evil and omniscience
Defended
Moreover, it is illustrated by the fact there is something rather than nothing- he must have known that this world will turn out well (omnibenevolence wouldn’t allow for an evil world that couldn’t be controlled)
Gods decision to create is world has been informed by his knowledge that the world will turn out well)
Gods omnibenevolence and the logical problem of evil
Not defended but accentuated
Because we see God as a co-sufferer:
Because God is not outside of creation he experiences the totality of the earths history of suffering.
He took a risk beginning this process which demonstrates his love- this is why it is called process thought
The evidential problem of evil and process thought
Presents us with: why does God allow suffering that doesn’t bring:
A) greater good
B) present an equal/ worse evil
Response: not powerful to stop evil even if it is useful
Therefore easily resolved
Strengths of process thought
- resolves the logical problem of evil, however can be seen as sidestepped
- provides believers that the struggle is worth it- must be otherwise why would God start the process
- greater emphasis on humans to stop moral evils themselves- this leads to greater responsibility and moral progress of the human world
Weakness of process thought
- not a theodicy, should defend God not alter him
- presents God as a fellow sufferer. However God already suffers as Jesus in mainstream Christian thought.
- God initiated evolution on the grounds that good will outweighs evil. This holds no comfort to those who only undergo suffering in their lifetime
- lack of omnipotence makes God not worth of gods worship
- who made the raw materials God had to work with. Surely process thought simply regresses the problem back to God= even bigger problem.
