The Problem Of Evil Flashcards
What is the problem of evil
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.
What is the main argument about evil and God
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
How can God and suffering be compatible
It is possible for an all powerful and loving God to exist and for suffering to exist as it is explained in Theodicy’sW
What is Augustine’s Theodicy
Claims that evil and suffering are due to the result of human free will and the fall of Adam and Eve.
What is Irenaeus’ Theodicy
Claims that evil and suffering have a purpose to bringing us towards perfection as it is ‘soul making’
What is moral evil
Evil that is the result of human immorality such as killing and harm to others done by a person
What is Natural evil
Evil that is a result of natural events such as hurricanes and tsunamis
What does John Hick define evil as
Physical pain, mental suffering, moral wickedness.
The consequence of evil is suffering
What are some logical difficulties with Gods powers
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
What is the inconsistent triad
1 out of 3 cannot be true:
- evil and suffering exist
- Gods omnibenevolence
- Gods omnipotence
What does David Hume argue about the possibilities of why evil and God exists
- God is not omnipotent
- God is not omnibenevolent
- Evil does not exist
What does Anthony Flew argue about Gods allowance of suffering
That God allows it despite his ability to stop it - therefore there must be a reason for it
Who’ theodicy is soul deciding
Augustine’s
What does Augustine argue in his Theodicy
- 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
What does Augustine believe about humans
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
What is Augustinian theodicy of soul deciding
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’
Strengths of Augustinian’s theodicy
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
What does Aquinas argue about evil
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
Weaknesses of Augustinian’s theodicy
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?
Who’s Theodicy is the soul making Theodicy?
Irenaean Theodicy
What is Irenaen Theodicy about?
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
Does Irenaeus believe that God is responsible for evil and suffering?
Yes, but for a greater cause to be more like God
Why would God want us to have free will (Irenaean)
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
What is John Hick’s Irenaean Theodicy
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
Does Hick believe that we have the full knowledge of God
Yes, and we are able to decide the distance of how close we want to be to him.
What’s a strength of the Irenaean Theodicy
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
What’s a weakness of the Irenaean Theodicy
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
What is the role of free will in classical theodicies
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.
What is the difference between Augustine’s theodicy and Irenaeus’ in terms of free will
Augustine - Given to explain the fall
Irenaeaus - Given so that we might gain perfection
What is a live example of the Irenaean Theodicy
9/11 attacks happened so that there would be better security at airports or in other places
What philosophers are in the problem of evil
Antony Flew
Aquinas
Augustinian Theodicy
Irenaean theodicy
