The Problem Of Evil

Question 1

What is the problem of evil

Answer 1

Represents a major challenge towards religious belief, it looks at the existence of evil and suffering and questions if it is compatible with the existence of an omnipotent, benevolent God.

Question 2

What is the main argument about evil and God

Answer 2

God is all powerful, so he must be able to prevent suffering, God is all loving, so he must be able to prevent suffering. However, suffering still exists

Question 3

How can God and suffering be compatible

Answer 3

It is possible for an all powerful and loving God to exist and for suffering to exist as it is explained in Theodicy’sW

Question 4

What is Augustine’s Theodicy

Answer 4

Claims that evil and suffering are due to the result of human free will and the fall of Adam and Eve.

Question 5

What is Irenaeus’ Theodicy

Answer 5

Claims that evil and suffering have a purpose to bringing us towards perfection as it is ‘soul making’

Question 6

What is moral evil

Answer 6

Evil that is the result of human immorality such as killing and harm to others done by a person

Question 7

What is Natural evil

Answer 7

Evil that is a result of natural events such as hurricanes and tsunamis

Question 8

What does John Hick define evil as

Answer 8

Physical pain, mental suffering, moral wickedness.
The consequence of evil is suffering

Question 9

What are some logical difficulties with Gods powers

Answer 9

Since God created the universe, he is all powerful and therefore be strong enough to end suffering

Since God knows everything he can know how to stop suffering

Since God is all loving he must desire to stop suffering

Question 10

What is the inconsistent triad

Answer 10

1 out of 3 cannot be true:
- evil and suffering exist
- Gods omnibenevolence
- Gods omnipotence

Question 11

What does David Hume argue about the possibilities of why evil and God exists

Answer 11

1. God is not omnipotent
2. God is not omnibenevolent
3. Evil does not exist

Question 12

What does Anthony Flew argue about Gods allowance of suffering

Answer 12

That God allows it despite his ability to stop it - therefore there must be a reason for it

Question 13

Who’ theodicy is soul deciding

Answer 13

Augustine’s

Question 14

What does Augustine argue in his Theodicy

Answer 14

• That God is perfect and so he created a perfect world free from flaws
• God is not to blame for evil as evil is just a privation of good, how can God create a privation of something
• God is NOT the author of corruption
• human free will CREATES evil
• Soul deciding theodicy

Question 15

What does Augustine believe about humans

Answer 15

Humans have fallen into a state of sin thanks to the loins of Adam, that’s why we experience suffering as we are worthy of punishment

Question 16

What is Augustinian theodicy of soul deciding

Answer 16

The idea that the fall from grace thanks to Adam and Eve’s disobedience had caused us to live in a state of sin.
Those who turn their back on God had faced the privation of good which is evil.
‘All evil is either sin or the punishment for sin’

Question 17

Strengths of Augustinian’s theodicy

Answer 17

Explains both natural evil and moral evil - they both blame humans

Makes sense to say that free will can cause evil

It appeals to Christians as it is biblical

Question 18

What does Aquinas argue about evil

Answer 18

That natural evil is only evil from a human perspective, as it causes damage to human life. This is not evidence that God is evil, as we don’t know what it is to be a God

Question 19

Weaknesses of Augustinian’s theodicy

Answer 19

If the world was perfect how could Adam and Eve disobey God? There must’ve been evil to disobey him.

Why must the rest of humanity be blamed for Adams loins, how can God blame us all just for one relative

Hell is incompatible with a loving God

Augustine argues that God saves some people, does he have favourites?

Question 20

Who’s Theodicy is the soul making Theodicy?

Answer 20

Irenaean Theodicy

Question 21

What is Irenaen Theodicy about?

Answer 21

The soul making theodicy is about how God created the world in his image but not his likeness.

Humans are imperfect and immature, God did not abandon us but gave us the ability to disobey him or to develop.

There wouldn’t be evil without the ability to have free will

We basically develop to be more like God by existing and experiencing evil

Question 22

Does Irenaeus believe that God is responsible for evil and suffering?

Answer 22

Yes, but for a greater cause to be more like God

Question 23

Why would God want us to have free will (Irenaean)

Answer 23

So that we can develop into the likeness of God, it wouldn’t be the same if God took our free will and made us do it. Our free will is our ability to prove to God. Then everyone will be in heaven

Question 24

What is John Hick’s Irenaean Theodicy

Answer 24

Links in with evolution, God makes us in his image through biology but then we must experience suffering and soul making to be closer to God in a way that’s voluntary.

Humans wouldn’t be able to make free choices if we didn’t have free will

Question 25

Does Hick believe that we have the full knowledge of God

Answer 25

Yes, and we are able to decide the distance of how close we want to be to him.

Question 26

What’s a strength of the Irenaean Theodicy

Answer 26

Goodness developed by free will is better than forced instant goodness

God cannot force us to love him, so he lets us love him through free will, the goal is to be closer to God but not forced by God (King analogy)

God needs to allow evil and suffering for us to grow

Question 27

What’s a weakness of the Irenaean Theodicy

Answer 27

Are some evils really necessary? is killing 6 million Jews part of the plan to make us better people.

It’s never justifiable to hurt another person to help them, how can God let innocent people suffer

Question 28

What is the role of free will in classical theodicies

Answer 28

Free will defence is a theodicy that justifies evil as a result of free will, this is both seen in Augustine’s and Irenaeus’ theodicies.

Question 29

What is the difference between Augustine’s theodicy and Irenaeus’ in terms of free will

Answer 29

Augustine - Given to explain the fall
Irenaeaus - Given so that we might gain perfection

Question 30

What is a live example of the Irenaean Theodicy

Answer 30

9/11 attacks happened so that there would be better security at airports or in other places

Question 31

What philosophers are in the problem of evil

Answer 31

Antony Flew
Aquinas

Augustinian Theodicy
Irenaean theodicy