the problem of evil & suffering

Question 1

catholic response to the problem of evil and suffering

Answer 1

• believe free will is a gift from god
• god created humans with the ability to choose between good and evil
• when humans choose wrong things it causes suffering. humans are to blame for the suffering, not God
• story of genesis tells how adam and eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit going against god’s wishes. this is the first original sin, sometimes known as the fall.
• original sin is a symbol that we all share some responsibility for evil and suffering in the world
• st augustine gives three answers to question of suffering:
  1. existence of evil helps people to appreciate the good in the world 2. evil is just the absence of good things. privation. 3. god allows suffering because he is omnipotent and good. he is always able to bring a greater good out of suffering
  St Augustine:
  “That which is evil…enhances our admiration of the good” (enchiridion)
  “For what is that which we call evil but the absence of good” (privation) (enchriridion)
  “He (God) can bring good, even our of evil” (enchiridion

Question 2

liberal christian response to the problem of evil and suffering (John Hick’s Soul Making)

Answer 2

• John Hick developed the ideas of St Irenaeus. According to Hick humans were made in the image of God, but they and the world itself were not made perfect. they need to grow to become spiritually perfect
• suffering and evil best way for humans to develop
  -Hick argues God allows evil and suffering to happen so people can grow and develop in how they respond to it. “A world without problems and hardships would be morally static”
• natural evil one part of god’s creation which allows humans to respond and grow spiritually. Hick calls this process of ‘soul making’

Question 3

jewish response to problem of evil and suffering

Answer 3

• don’t believe people are born evil
• don’t share christian concept of original sin
• jews believe they’re born free with the feeling to do good or do evil. Torah teaches god has given human beings choices that it is important to struggle against the feeling to do evil actions by obeying to God
• jews have been provided with guidance through the Torah and mitzvot which are actions that jewish people should perform or avoid. by being obedient to the Torah and mitzvot Jews can avoid evil
• jews believe it is not possible to hide evil actions from God and each year during the festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Jews apologise (make up for or make good) for the times when they have followed their feeling to do evil