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Problem of Evil: Possible Solutions

Problem of Evil: Possible Solutions. James A. Van Slyke . Review . 1. God is all Good Wants to Prevent Evil 2. God is all Powerful Able to Prevent Evil 3. Yet There is Evil How can this be Amended? . History of Theological Answers . Augustine (354 – 430) The Confessions

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Problem of Evil: Possible Solutions

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  1. Problem of Evil: Possible Solutions James A. Van Slyke

  2. Review 1. God is all Good Wants to Prevent Evil 2. God is all Powerful Able to Prevent Evil 3. Yet There is Evil How can this be Amended?

  3. History of Theological Answers • Augustine (354 – 430) • The Confessions • The City of God • Combined Biblical Faith with Platonic Philosophy • Plato • Metaphysics – World emanates from ‘the Good’ • Forms a type of hierarchy where each step down ‘loses goodness’

  4. Soul Soul Body Body The Hierarchy of Being • Plato’s list • The Good • Forms • Divinities • stars • planets • humans • animals • plants • inorganic material Augustine’s list God Forms Planets angels Humans Animals Plants Inorganic Material

  5. Augustine and Evil • Evil as privation • Absence of good • Thus, God is not responsible for the creation of evil • Each step down the hierarchy, more possibility for evil

  6. Augustine’s Free Will Defense • God wants creatures who freely give trust, obedience, adoration, etc. • Used by many apologists to deal with problem of evil • Ultimately, evil is the result of free will and sin

  7. Instrumentality of Evil • More important for human’s to have freedom to choose God • Evil brings about a greater good for humankind • Sickness allows us to appreciate our health • Greater good accomplished with evil in the world than without it • Justifies evil in the world

  8. Augustine’s Reconstruction • Adam and Eve lived in a pre-history paradise • Their fall was the first step downward in the hierarchy of being • Not human beings, but super humans • Merging of Creation Story with other Greek Myths

  9. Augustine and Sin • Human sin is wanting to be like God • Adam and Eve chose to sin • No predisposing factors • Ignorance • Lust • Hunger • Fatigue, etc. • Nothing could be blamed on God; created with perfect free will

  10. Consequences • Sin leads to disorder in the hierarchy • When the ‘rung’ occupied by humans and/or angels is disrupted leads to disorder all the way down • This is another reason for suffering and evil in the world

  11. Consequences • Concupiscence • Sin also leads to disorder within the person • The disorderly arrangement of the human soul leads to sin and suffering • When the will is in rebellion, no ability to control the self • Not able to control the body

  12. Hierarchy of the Soul Rational powers Will Understanding Mind Irrational powers Memory Sense-perception Appetites Emotions Desires Body Control Exerted downward

  13. Consequences • Disorder in hierarchy also leads to disorder in nature • Earthquakes, Floods, etc. • Reason for suffering of animals and nature • Disordered world causes nature to be less than it could be

  14. Problems with Augustine’s Account • Ancient Metaphysics has been replaced • Hurricanes, etc. caused by natural effects • Platonic reading of Genesis account rejected • Disorder of soul no longer accepted • Will is not most important aspect of humans • Emotions and the body also important

  15. Recent Solutions • God had sufficient reason to permit evil • Evil may be instrumental to other purposes • Evil may bring out other ‘goods’ • Evil is a by-product of other good things • God has remedies for evil • The Christian Tradition provides different remedies or ways to contain evil • God is not indifferent to our suffering

  16. Free-Will Defense • In order for humans to exercise free will, it was necessary to allow the possibility of evil • It is logically impossible for God to create free creatures and guarantee they will never do evil • If human behavior determined, no free response to God

  17. Sufficient Reason • Best of all Possible Worlds • G. W. Liebniz (1646-1716) • The development of our particular world necessitates the possibility for evil and suffering • It is not possible to change certain aspects of physical creation without creating disorder

  18. Fine-Tuning of the Universe • Anthropic Principle • Values of the Fundamental Constants of the Universe are such that they allow for the evolution of life • If these Laws were modified even slightly, there would not be life • Imposes certain limitations on the world

  19. Recent Solutions • Evil is a by – product • Secondary or Incidental product • The result of another action, often unintended or unexpected • In order for nature to work, certain laws and limitations were necessary • In order for persons to be free, they must be free to do evil

  20. Soul-Making Defense • John Hick (1922 -) • Evil and the Love of God • God allows evil to enhance the spiritual character of humanity • “Soul-making”

  21. Problems with Defenses • Were the great atrocities necessary? • Auschwitz, Rwanda, the starving and poor • Is our freedom worth the evils others have had to face? • Couldn’t God have allowed free will but stopped the extent of evil in the world

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