The Problem of Evil and Suffering

Question 1

What is the Epicurean paradox?

Answer 1

If a deity with the characteristics of the God of Classical Theism created the world, why does so much evil and suffering exist?

Question 2

What is Mackie’s inconsistent triad?

Answer 2

It is inconsistent for God to be omnipotent and omnibenevolent and exist simultaneously with evil

Question 3

Why must God be omnipotent?

Answer 3

To fit in with the religious idea of God’s ex nihilo creation story

Question 4

What is the Paradox of Omnipotence?

Answer 4

If God is omnipotent but appears to be unable to control his creation, is he truly omnipotent?

Question 5

What is William Rowe’s counter theodicy?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is Rowe’s argument backed by?

Answer 6

Evidential evidence in animal suffering

Question 7

What analogy does Rowe use?

Answer 7

Fawn in a forest fire

Question 8

What is Gregory Paul’s counter theodicy?

Answer 8

The deaths of so many innocent children before the age of mature consent challenges the existence of God

Question 9

How many children did Paul estimate have died (post- natally and prenatally) since God first spoke to man?

Answer 9

• 50 billion
• 300 billion

Question 10

What does Paul call the loss of innocent children?

Answer 10

The Holocaust of Children

Question 11

Why is animal and child suffering deemed pointless?

Answer 11

Because they have no free will and can’t learn from moral or natural evil

Question 12

What were Augustine’s dates?

Answer 12

354-430

Question 13

What are the key elements of the Augustinian theodicy? (4)

Answer 13

• Privatio Boni
• Felix Culpa
• Seminal presence
• Soul-deciding

Question 14

What is privatio boni? (A)

Answer 14

A lack (privation) of goodness

Question 15

How does privatio boni defend God?

Answer 15

Evil is not a created thing, just an absence, and so God cannot be made responsible for it

Question 16

What is sin the product of according to Augustine?

Answer 16

The fall of Adam and Eve and fallen angels who have deliberately turned from God

Question 17

What is felix culpa?

Answer 17

Happy mistake, bringing good from evil

Question 18

Why are all humanity tainted with Original Sin?

Answer 18

Everyone is seminally present in Adam

Question 19

Why is natural evil a fitting punishment for humanity?

Answer 19

Because it stems from the disruption of Natural Order

Question 20

How is the Augustinian theodicy soul-deciding?

Answer 20

Gives people a choice to choose or reject Christ and be sent to Heaven or Hell

Question 21

What are 3 strengths of the Augustinian theodicy?

Answer 21

1. Removes responsibilities from God
2. Allows for some extent of free will within the control of God
3. Explains the existence of natural evil

Question 22

What are 3 weaknesses of the Augustinian theodicy?

Answer 22

1. DNA evidence outdates seminal presence
2. Takes a debated literal understanding of Genesis 2 and 3
3. Logical contradiction in stating that God created a perfect world that can change

Question 23

What were Irenaeus’ dates?

Answer 23

130-202

Question 24

What was the historical context of Irenaeus’ writings?

Answer 24

• he lived in Gaul when Emperor Marcus Aurelius ordered mass slaughter of Christians
• this persecution stimulated thought on how God could allow suffering

Question 25

What are the key elements of the Irenaean theodicy?

Answer 25

- imago dei - second order goods - growth and development

Question 26

What does Irenaeus believe evil and suffering allows?

Answer 26

People to make their own, free decisions and grow their relationship with God

Question 27

What does Genesis 1:26 contribute to the Irenaean theodicy?

Answer 27

Says God made man in his image and so humans have attributes of God which they can develop

Question 28

What are second-order goods?

Answer 28

Qualities that can only exist if there is evil in the world

Question 29

Why does Ireneaus believe evil is necessary?

Answer 29

Allows us to appreciate good and learn from suffering, achieving second-order goods

Question 30

What were John Hick's dates?

Answer 30

1922-2012

Question 31

What did John Hick write?

Answer 31

'Evil and the God of Love'

Question 32

What are the features of the Irenaean theodicy associated with John Hick?

Answer 32

- soul-making - epistemic distance - universal salvation - eschatological justification

Question 33

What is a soul-making theodicy? (JH)

Answer 33

Describes the world as a place for humans to prove their morality through suffering

Question 34

What is epistemic distance?

Answer 34

The distance between humans and God needed for humans to be truly free

Question 35

What does epistemic distance mean?

Answer 35

God cannot create humans who are spiritually perfect or immediately aware if God, so they can make free choices for themselves

Question 36

What is John Hick's belief in universal salvation?

Answer 36

Spiritual development continues after death so everyone will eventually go to heaven

Question 37

What is eschatological justification?

Answer 37

The idea that the afterlife will help us understand this life and resolve any remaining injustices

Question 38

In what book did Richard Swinburne develop the Irenaean theodicy?

Answer 38

'The Existence of God'

Question 39

What did Swinburne argue were God's 2 creative possibilities?

Answer 39

1. Limited number of immortal beings with little distance from perfection 2. Unlimited mortal beings with unlimited work toward perfection

Question 40

Why did God choose to make unlimited mortal beings who can reproduce?

Answer 40

So people can exercise genuine freedom with the motivation of mortality

Question 41

How does Swinburne describe a world with limited suffering and less opportunities?

Answer 41

A 'toy world'

Question 42

What are 3 challenges to Irenaean-type theodicies?

Answer 42

1. Universal salvation is unjust 2. Evil and suffering should not be used as a tool by a loving God 3. Suffering is immense and unequally distributed

Question 43

Epicurean Paradox - Epicurus

Answer 43

'If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?'

Question 44

Paradox of omnipotence - Mackie

Answer 44

'God's omnipotence must be in any case restricted in one way or another'

Question 45

Christian creator - Paul

Answer 45

'It is very probably not possible to reconcile the Christian concept of a pacific creator with the state of the universe'

Question 46

Privation - Augustine

Answer 46

'what are called vices in the soul are nothing but privations of natural good'

Question 47

Genesis 1:26

Answer 47

'The God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, and according to our likeness''

Question 48

Challenge to Irenaean theodicy - Anne Frank

Answer 48

'Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly up to now? It is God who has made us as we are'

Question 49

What is Hick's vale of soul-making theodicy?

Answer 49

The idea that suffering is beneficial in supporting human development

Question 50

What was Rowe's central argument?

Answer 50

A wholly good God would not permit any gratuitous evil

Question 51

What is gratuitous evil?

Answer 51

Evil that is avoidable and unnecessary in the ultimate plan

Question 52

What was Paul's work?

Answer 52

Theodicy's Problem

Question 53

What was Paul's counter theodicy based on?

Answer 53

Science and data

Question 54

What was Paul's general argument?

Answer 54

If a creator does exist, he has chosen to fashion a habitat that has maximised the level of suffering beyond the control of humans

Question 55

What does Paul argue in regard to prayer?

Answer 55

There is no evidence that the prayer of Christians has reduced the suffering of children in areas of Christian majorities

Question 56

Which Platonic belief was Augustine's theodicy based on?

Answer 56

The idea that everything in physical existence are simply imperfect copies of ideal concepts

Question 57

Genesis 1:31

Answer 57

'God saw all that he had made, and it was very good'