Problem of Evil Flashcards
(28 cards)
Moral Evil
Evil done as a result of human choice.
Non - Moral Evil / Suffering / Natural evil.
Evil which owes nothing to human choice, like found in nature.
Inconsistent triad
- God is omnipotent
- God is omnibenevolent
- God exists.
Theodicy
An attempt to justify the goodness of God given that evil exists
Heresy
An opinion which does not line up with official church teachings.
St Augustine’s theodicy
Evil comes from the human misuse of free will, not from God.
The Fall
Adam and Eve defy the will of Good.
Soul - Deciding Theodicy
A theodicy which sees evil as a test of goodness and faithfulness to God.
Augustine Q1
‘…Evil, when regulated and put in its place, only enhances our admiration of the good.’
Augustine Q2
‘A creature that sins by free will is more excellent than one that does not sin only because it has no free will.’
Original Sin
The disobedience of Adam and Eve that led to all humanity being flawed from then on.
Soul - making
The concept of evil as a way for us to develop in goodness and character.
Irenaeus compared god to a ______.
Potter.
{Individual} Pelagianism
We can attain heaven on our own, independent from God. 5th Century heresy.
Epistemic Distance
God creates a distance between usand him so we have the full option to believe or not to believe.
Instrumental good
Suffering can be seen as valuable, as they help to produce something else that is good.
Dystelogical evil
Something that serves no purpose.
Didactic evil
Evil or suffering which could teach us something useful or important.
Swinburne’s theodicy
Natural evil allows humans to have meaningful free choices and develop courage and compassion.
Instrumentalism
Something’s value is dependent on its usefulness as a means to bring bout something else.
Evil as a privation
Evil is just an absence of any goodness, the same way dark is an absence of light.
F Augustine’s use of Genesis in his theodicy
Grounds evil in the free will of humanity, following Biblical narrative.
A Augustine’s use of Genesis in his theodicy
Relies on a literal interpretation of Genesis, which many reject.
F Irenaeus’ argument for evil as central to soul - making
Explains why evil is necessary for moral growth
