Theodicy Flashcards
What is the greatest challenge for theism?
The existence of evil.
What is theodicy?
An argument to justify the existence of evil in a world created by an all-loving and all-powerful God.
Christian theodicies are intimately connected to ___ ___.
Genesis 3.
What occurs in Genesis 3?
The Cosmic Fall.
What is the logical component of theodicy?
Theodicy is a rational argument responding to a rational problem.
What is the experiential component of theodicy?
Coming to terms with evil includes understanding it by living through it.
What is Augustinian Theodicy?
Original perfection.
What is original perfection?
Original creation was perfect, and sin entered the world through Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The “Fall” is from an originally perfect world.
What is Iranian Theodicy?
Original innocence.
What is original innocence?
Original creation was innocent and immature, and is based on the notion that morally free and mature people cannot be created instantaneously. Evil is part of our spiritual growth, and the “Fall” is from an original innocence and immaturity.
“It must be an ___ ___, a distance in the cognitive dimension.” -John Hick
Epistemic distance.
Deus Absconditus
Long standing theme in Christian theology that there is a hiddenness to God.
Under Deus Absconditus, Lameroux describes 2 types of Jesus: what are they?
- Star Trek Jesus, that is beamed down for out every whim and problem.
- Biblical Jesus, who is omnipresent.
Deus Revelatus
Long standing theme in Christian theology that God reveals Himself through divine action, scripture, and nature (ID and Natural Revelation).
“___ ___ ___ expounders of Holy Scripture bring untold trouble and sorrow on their wiser brethren when they are caught in one of their mischievous false opinions and are taken to task by those who are not bound by the authority of our sacred books.” -St. Augustine.
Reckless and incompetent.
