soul making theodicy Flashcards
what is the Iranaean theodicy?
St Iranaeus
believed humans develop morality through encountering evil so evil has a good purpose
who says the world is ‘the vale of soul-making’?
Hick
who made the modern version of the Iranaean theodicy?
Hick
what does the soul making theodicy argue?
both natural and moral evil are essential to soul making so have a good purpose
justifies why an omnibenevolent God allows humans to commit evil acts
which two people traced evil back to human free will?
Iranaeus and Augustine
what is a difference between Iranaeus and Augustine?
Augustine considered evil to be at odd with God’s purpose
Iranaeus thought evil had a valuable part to play with God’s plan for humans
how did God create humans according to Hick in soul making theodicy?
deliberately imperfect to allow humans to complete the process of developing themselves
how are humans created?
imago dei (in the image of God)
what did Iranaeus believe about humans as people who exist in the likeness of God in soul making theodicy?
not yet achieved the full likeness of God so not yet perfect
purpose is for humans to become the image of God which is divine
what does Hick argue even though evil exists?
doesn’t challenge God’s omnipotent nature as humans need to develop good virtues themselves rather than God creating perfect humans
how does Hick explain that allowing evil demonstrates love?
evil allows love to be demonstrated through humans learning to become moral themselves
what does Hick say about humans entering heaven in soul making theodicy?
all humans will be saved and enter heaven as an omnibenevolent God would not send his children to hell
evil can only be overcome if there is a future good outcome
what does epistemic distance mean?
how does this link to free will?
knowledge gap between God and humanity
this means humans seek knowledge and love of God through free will
when does Hick say soul making is completed?
only ever completed in the afterlife to become children of God and inherit eternal life
three reasons Hick believes we need an afterlife:
if life were to end at death God’s original purpose for creation wouldn’t be completed
only a good future in heaven can justify all evil
even those who are considered evil shouldn’t be overlooked as they may have been victims of bad upbringing etc
what is the counterfactual hypothesis?
God created an imperfect world to give humans a chance to develop good virtues
this is to avoid temptation of evil and deal with the challenges when others commit evil
world is a ‘vale of soul-making’
what are 3 objections to Hick’s soul making theodicy?
theodicy doesn’t justify animal suffering
there are pointless evils in the world
doesn’t justify extent of evil
Hick’s response to objection of his theodicy due to animal suffering:
(4 points)
animals don’t fear death
pain warns animals of danger so have to experience pain to exist
humans would assume privilege if other species didn’t exist
animals and process of evolution have to exist
Hick’s response to objection of his theodicy due to pointless evils:
(2 points)
such evils must remain a mystery because epistemic distance would be lost if we knew why all evils happen
being able to explain all pain and suffering would leave us without faith or hope but are essential to develop so must appear as pointless
Hick’s response to objection of his theodicy due to extent of evil?
(3 points)
all evil are a matter of degree
if we remove evil like the Holocaust the next-to-worst evil will seem worse
the more evil removed means the less moral freedom and responsibility which defeats the reason for allowing evil in the first place
strengths of soul making theodicy:
(4 points)
epistemic distance from God justifies all evil
necessary for soul development
if hell was true that would be the worst part of the problem of evil so this would make God not omnibenevolent
fits with scientific evidence through using evolution about first stage of human development
weaknesses of soul making theodicy:
(3 points)
says everyone will go to heaven which is unjust and it contradicts the Bible and makes moral behaviour pointless
justifies evil but how much do we need?
unable to explain why some suffer more than others and why animals suffer
