The Problem of Evil Flashcards
What are examples of natural evil?
In the Old Testament, there are numerous examples of God using nature to cause evil (i.e. plagues in Egypt, flood in Noah’s Arch).
What is moral evil?
The hurtful and harmful acts that humans carry out. Christians can account for their own small acts of unkindness. The problem becomes acute when truly awful acts of evil are committed.
What are examples of moral evil?
-Disease
-Genocide
-Stealing
What is the Logical Problem of Evil?
It is presented by J.L Mackie through the Inconsistent Triad. It states that God is omnipotent/omniscient and omnibenevolent. However, evil exists, so either omnipotent or omnibenevolent is logically inconsistent and therefore wrong.
What did Epicurus say about the Logical Problem of Evil?
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence evil?”
What did Hume pose about the Logical Problem of Evil?
-Either God is not omnipotent/omniscient
OR
-God is not omnibenevolent
OR
-Evil does not exist.
-Since evil does exist, then God must not.
What is the Evidential Problem of Evil?
The quantity and quality of both natural and moral evil are overwhelming. It is pointless to have so much evil that serves no useful purpose as it serves no good in enabling human free will or moral spiritual development.
What is evidence for the quantity of evil?
The sheer amounts of evil and suffering in the world almost entirely contradict the existence of an all-loving, all-powerful being, such as God.
What is evidence for the quality of evil?
William Rowe presented the image of a young fawn trapped in the woods, engulfed by a raging fire. The fawn then suffered from injuries for numerous days before dying. How could an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God, if he existed, allow such awful kinds of suffering, like this example, which is immeasurable every day?
What did Dostoyevsky say about the Problem of Evil?
In his book, the Brother Karamazov, he used an example of a monk, Alyosha, who was visited by his brother Ivan, a public prosecutor, who challenges Alyosha’s faith in the goodness of God. Ivan gives an example of a little girl suffering and he says “It is not God that I do not accept, Alyosha. I merely most respectfully return the ticket.” This shows that he does not reject God but does not accept a God who allows a girl to suffer in order for everyone else to be happy. He would rather go to Hell than go to Heaven at the expense of one girls suffering.
What is St. Augustine’s Theodicy?
The Augustinian theodicy discusses the idea that not only does God exist but so does evil and suffering. In fact, all are necessary in this world and God is right to allow evil and suffering as they play an important role in the nature and development of humans.
What did Augustine say about Original Sin in his theodicy?
Original sin = evil is the result of the sin of Adam and Eve.
Natural and Moral Evil can be traced back to Adam and Eve.
-What does Augustine say about free-will?
-What does Augustine say about evil?
-Miss use of free-will leads to evil/suffering/sin.
-Evil is not a thing in itself but a privation of good (a lack/nothingness). It does not disprove the existence of an all-loving God. Man was redeemed when Christ was sent by God to save humanity from sin.
What is Irenaeus’ theodicy?
In Against Heresies, he claimed that God deliberately created an imperfect world so humans could develop into prefect beings, through trial and adversity. In a sense, he is saying that evil and suffering are part of God’s plan.
What does Irenaeus say about free-will?
God has given us the opportunity to make our own choices in order to give us independence.
What does Irenaeus say about soul-making?
Suffering ultimately makes people develop into better human beings, it makes the soul better.
What is a quote from Irenaeus, supporting his theodicy?
“A world without problems, difficulties, perils ad hardships would be morally static, for moral and spiritual growth comes through responses to challenges; and in a paradise there would be no challenges.”
What is John Hick’s Soul-Making Theodicy?
Offers a perspective on why a benevolent, omnipotent God may allow the existence of suffering in the world he created.
What are the core ideas of the soul-making theodicy?
Human development
God created humans as imperfect beings with the potential to grow and develop into morally and spiritually mature individuals. This process of “soul-making” (growth) requires challenges and adversities to be present throughout.
What are the core ideas of the soul-making theodicy?
Free will
Central to Hick’s theodicy. For humans to genuinely develop virtues, they must have freedom to make their own choices, including the possibility of choosing evil. If God created humans with a built-in awareness of the virtues, the response to God would not be authentic.
What are the core ideas of the soul-making theodicy?
Irenaean influence
Hick’s ideas are influenced by Irenaeus who also emphasised the importance of human development and the role of suffering in humans moral and spiritual growth.
What are the core ideas of the soul-making theodicy?
Epistemic Distance
It means a ‘distance of knowledge’. If humans knew that God definitly existed, then all our freedom would be lost as we would be unable or unwilling to commit evil acts.
What is the purpose of suffering according to Hick?
Suffering and evil are not pointless but serve a greater purpose in the divine plan. They provide necessary conditions for humans to develop virtues that would not be possible in a world where such challenges are not present.
What is the ultimate goal according to Hick’s soul-making theodicy?
Humans to achieve a likeness to God, by developing qualities that reflect divine goodness. Hick maintains that this is part of God’s plan for humanity.
