Process Theodicy Flashcards
Who founded Process Theodicy?
What is it’s claim
David Griffin
God is not omnipotent
God was not Ex nihilo?
Out of nothing - God was a part of an uncreated process, cultivating a primordial chaos
By disturbing the chaos what was brought into existence
The possibility of good and evil
Why does God’s process result in evil?
Maximizing Harmony and Intensity allows for the possibility of evil in the future, to allow intense suffering for worthwhile good
Harmony
Parts of an experience must fit together and not clash in order for the experience to be enjoyable
Discord
When the parts of an experience clash, it loses harmony and makes us feel imbalanced. This experience, therefore is not enjoyable to us.
Intensity
Experiences must be intense in order to be enjoyable and worthwhile, the more complex and intense an experience the more enjoyable. Complexity can only occur through order and harmony
Triviality
If experiences are not intense they become trivial. Alfred Whitehead saw God’s role as maximizing Harmony and Intensity
God experiences with us? (PT)
God is involved with the suffering of mankind, justifies the good outweighing the evil.
Is God in control? (PT)
No, not omnipotent and subjected to the unchanging laws of nature. Gods power is limited, persuading us to do Good rather than forcing us. The Universe is as powerful as it’s effects.
Strengths (PT).
Responsibility? Relationship? Evils?
1: God is not responsible for suffering as He cannot stop it
2: A stronger relationship with a God whom suffers alongside us
3: Explains natural/moral evil through development and weakness.
Weaknesses
1: Rejects the God of classical theism
2: Does not consider the afterlife
3: No empirical evidence for the theodicy
