The Problem of Evil and Suffering Flashcards
What is the Epicurean paradox?
If a deity with the characteristics of the God of Classical Theism created the world, why does so much evil and suffering exist?
What is Mackie’s inconsistent triad?
It is inconsistent for God to be omnipotent and omnibenevolent and exist simultaneously with evil
Why must God be omnipotent?
To fit in with the religious idea of God’s ex nihilo creation story
What is the Paradox of Omnipotence?
If God is omnipotent but appears to be unable to control his creation, is he truly omnipotent?
What is William Rowe’s counter theodicy?
Even if suffering exists in order to bring about some kind of greater good, there cannot be any need to have such intense and pointless suffering
What is Rowe’s argument backed by?
Evidential evidence in animal suffering
What analogy does Rowe use?
Fawn in a forest fire
What is Gregory Paul’s counter theodicy?
The deaths of so many innocent children before the age of mature consent challenges the existence of God
How many children did Paul estimate have died (post- natally and prenatally) since God first spoke to man?
- 50 billion
- 300 billion
What does Paul call the loss of innocent children?
The Holocaust of Children
Why is animal and child suffering deemed pointless?
Because they have no free will and can’t learn from moral or natural evil
What were Augustine’s dates?
354-430
What are the key elements of the Augustinian theodicy? (4)
- Privatio Boni
- Felix Culpa
- Seminal presence
- Soul-deciding
What is privatio boni? (A)
A lack (privation) of goodness
How does privatio boni defend God?
Evil is not a created thing, just an absence, and so God cannot be made responsible for it
What is sin the product of according to Augustine?
The fall of Adam and Eve and fallen angels who have deliberately turned from God
What is felix culpa?
Happy mistake, bringing good from evil
Why are all humanity tainted with Original Sin?
Everyone is seminally present in Adam
Why is natural evil a fitting punishment for humanity?
Because it stems from the disruption of Natural Order
How is the Augustinian theodicy soul-deciding?
Gives people a choice to choose or reject Christ and be sent to Heaven or Hell
What are 3 strengths of the Augustinian theodicy?
- Removes responsibilities from God
- Allows for some extent of free will within the control of God
- Explains the existence of natural evil
What are 3 weaknesses of the Augustinian theodicy?
- DNA evidence outdates seminal presence
- Takes a debated literal understanding of Genesis 2 and 3
- Logical contradiction in stating that God created a perfect world that can change
What were Irenaeus’ dates?
130-202
What was the historical context of Irenaeus’ writings?
- he lived in Gaul when Emperor Marcus Aurelius ordered mass slaughter of Christians
- this persecution stimulated thought on how God could allow suffering
What are the key elements of the Irenaean theodicy?
- imago dei
- second order goods
- growth and development
What does Irenaeus believe evil and suffering allows?
People to make their own, free decisions and grow their relationship with God
What does Genesis 1:26 contribute to the Irenaean theodicy?
Says God made man in his image and so humans have attributes of God which they can develop
What are second-order goods?
Qualities that can only exist if there is evil in the world
Why does Ireneaus believe evil is necessary?
Allows us to appreciate good and learn from suffering, achieving second-order goods
What were John Hick’s dates?
1922-2012
What did John Hick write?
‘Evil and the God of Love’
What are the features of the Irenaean theodicy associated with John Hick?
- soul-making
- epistemic distance
- universal salvation
- eschatological justification
What is a soul-making theodicy? (JH)
Describes the world as a place for humans to prove their morality through suffering
What is epistemic distance?
The distance between humans and God needed for humans to be truly free
What does epistemic distance mean?
God cannot create humans who are spiritually perfect or immediately aware if God, so they can make free choices for themselves
What is John Hick’s belief in universal salvation?
Spiritual development continues after death so everyone will eventually go to heaven
What is eschatological justification?
The idea that the afterlife will help us understand this life and resolve any remaining injustices
In what book did Richard Swinburne develop the Irenaean theodicy?
‘The Existence of God’
What did Swinburne argue were God’s 2 creative possibilities?
- Limited number of immortal beings with little distance from perfection
- Unlimited mortal beings with unlimited work toward perfection
Why did God choose to make unlimited mortal beings who can reproduce?
So people can exercise genuine freedom with the motivation of mortality
How does Swinburne describe a world with limited suffering and less opportunities?
A ‘toy world’
What are 3 challenges to Irenaean-type theodicies?
- Universal salvation is unjust
- Evil and suffering should not be used as a tool by a loving God
- Suffering is immense and unequally distributed
Irenaean-type theodicies are credible in the 21st Century:
- Developing into God’s likeness is compatible with Roger’s view and evolution 2. Allows equal hope of salvation for all
- Promises removal of pain, justification and eternal spiritual perfection
Irenaean theodicies aren’t credible in the 21st Century:
- Insensitive interpretation of suffering as a ‘spiritual workout’
- Immensity of suffering undermines its purpose of spiritual maturation
- Universal salvation is unfair and undermines ethics and justice
Irenaean theodicies defend God:
- Shows the purpose of evil as helping humans achieve moral perfection
- Evil can coexist with central characteristics of God
- Humans may becomes spiritually perfect by virtue of God’s divine mercy
Irenaean theodicies don’t defend God:
- Extent of suffering is not equal or just
- People can be morally and spiritually good without trials of suffering
- Universal salvation undermines much of religious doctrine and teaching
Augustine’s theodicy defends God:
- Privation removes responsibility from God
- Human disobedience is the reason for suffering
- Evil and suffering exist necessarily to punish
Augustine’s theodicy does not defend God:
- Original sin through seminal presence is difficult to accept
- Only make sense for Christian believers
- Undermined by moral and logical contradictions
Augustinian-type theodicies are relevant:
- Explore fundamental principles of Christian doctrine that remain unchanged
- Allows belief in God despite evil and suffering
- Allows opportunity for salvation and motivation for faith
Augustinian-type theodicies are not relevant:
- Evolutionary theory challenges perfect creation and seminal presence
- Evil as a privation belongs to metaphysical speculation rather than harsh reality
- Assumes acceptance of belief in angels and perfect creation
The problem of evil proves God’s non-existence:
- Inconsistent that the God of Classical Theism would allow evil and suffering
- The most logical and in some sense desirable conclusion is that God does not exist
- Creates a picture of a malevolent God
The problem of evil does not prove God’s non-existence:
- Requires the assumption that God possesses all stated characteristics
- God may be simply apathetic to suffering
- Theodicies
The Epicurean Paradox is a problem:
- Makes God’s attributes unacceptable
- Recognises flaws within the world
- Logical
The Epicurean Paradox is not a problem:
- The extent of the problem rests on the predisposition of the individual
- Dependant on what faith holds about the characteristics of God
- Depends on perceived purposes and outcomes of suffering
Epicurean Paradox - Epicurus
‘If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?’
Paradox of omnipotence - Mackie
‘The paradox of omnipotence has shown that God’s omnipotence must be in any case restricted in one way or another’
Premature deaths - Paul
‘It is very probably not possible to reconcile the Christian concept of a pacific creator with the state of the universe’
Privation - Augustine
‘what are called vices in the soul are nothing but privations of natural good’
Genesis 1:26
‘The God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, and to our likeness’’
Challenge to Irenaean theodicy - Anne Frank
‘Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly up to now? It is God who has made us as we are’
