The Irenaean Theodicy Flashcards
What is a theodicy?
a justification of God
What is natural evil?
suffering caused through natural mean e.g volcanos
What is moral evil?
suffering cause through human decisions
What is the Epicurean paradox?
Either God want to abolish evil and cant, or doesn’t want to. If he can and wants to why does evil exist?
What is the inconsistent triad?
Mackie states that God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and evil exists cannot all be logically true
What is Genesis 1:26?
Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness
What are second order goods?
virtues like courage which cannot exist without evil
What is a hedonistic paradise?
a perfect toy world without evil
What is epistemic distance?
God not intervening in our lives for us to have free will and not be forced to worship him
How does Irenaeus believe we were created?
imperfect, and are developing to become perfect in God’s image
How does Irenaeus justify the prescence of evil?
a deliberate choice of a benevolent God to allow humans to spiritually develop to be perfect through second order goods
What was the Fall of Adam and Eve to Irenaeus
an understandable mistake of immature creatures, divine punishment isnt for adam’s sin but an intrinsic part of a divine plan
Where is the ultimate responsibility of suffering placed?
On God, however God created this world so we could become complete moral beings
What does Irenaeus state happens after death?
we continue into the next life where individuals who rejected God have the oppurtunity to earn forgiveness and become perfect
What is a soul making theocidy?
John Hick states God didn’t make a hedonistic paradise, but a soul making world where we morally develop.
What does Hick state about evolution?
we evolved from primitive life forms into psychologically complex beings and our moral development should be viewed the same way
Why does Hick state this world is more effective than a toy world?
Because if we were already made perfect then we would not have done it through our own choice and it is a fake perfection. If every evil act was immediately punished then morality would be out of fear not reward.
Why does God maintain epistemic distance?
He wishes us to enter a relationship with him through choice not force, if we knew he existed we would have no choice but to obey him
What does Swinburne add to the IT
God chose to create a world where humans have free will, this responsibility is better than a toy world because the chance to grow in power and knowledge is worth the cost
