Evil and Suffering Solutions (Part 2)

?
  • Created by: LottieAli
  • Created on: 01-05-14 15:48
View mindmap
  • Evil and Suffering Solutions
    • The Irenaean Theodicy
      • The Fall was inevitable as humans are moving from a state of imperfection to perfection.
      • 2 stages to human life: 1) We are made "in the image of God" and 2) Humans grow into a likeness of God.
      • Evil and suffering are fundamental to allow a person to strengthen and mature.
        • Suffering is made up for in the afterlife, after Purgatory.
      • Sin occurs due to the infantile nature of those who have not yet matured.
        • E.g. Adam and Eve sinned for Universal Salvation.
      • John Hick updated the Irenaean Theodicy: God allows humans to develop for themselves.
      • If God had made humanity in perfection, we would have a robotic nature that would be valueless.
        • Evil can have long term effects of charity, compassion and love.
      • Richard Swinburne supports, arguing that God has given humans the opportunity to develop power, freedom and knowledge.
      • Criticisms
        • Trivialises evil, presenting it as a challenge.
        • Why should some people suffer more than others?
        • Sometimes there is no greater good and sometimes suffering is too extreme e.g. The Holocaust.
        • Is it right for all humans to achieve salvation?
        • Untitled
    • Augustine's Theodicy
      • God permits evil because the only way to eradicate evil is to eradicate free will.
      • Fall of the angels.
      • There was no epistemic distance before The Fall. Now humans can close the epistemic gap by turning to God in times of need.
      • Prior to The Fall there was no evil: "the lion lay down with the lamb."
        • Humans chose to disobey God, we are now all seminally present in Adam.
      • Adam & Eve were told not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. They disobeyed and were guilty of original sin, which caused The Fall, a privatio boni.
      • God didn't create evil, he created the world with the potential to fall short.
      • Criticisms
        • Evolution suggests that the world is changing due to science.
        • It is not biologically accurate that we are all seminally present in Adam.
        • Hell contradicts an omnibenevolent God.
          • If God is omniscient, why didn't He foresee The Fall?
        • Flew and Mackie ask why God didn't use His omnipotence to create humans that want to choose good over evil.
          • If humans can have immutable goodness on Heaven, then why not on Earth?
  • Augustine's Theodicy
    • God permits evil because the only way to eradicate evil is to eradicate free will.
    • Fall of the angels.
    • There was no epistemic distance before The Fall. Now humans can close the epistemic gap by turning to God in times of need.
    • Prior to The Fall there was no evil: "the lion lay down with the lamb."
      • Humans chose to disobey God, we are now all seminally present in Adam.
    • Adam & Eve were told not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. They disobeyed and were guilty of original sin, which caused The Fall, a privatio boni.
    • God didn't create evil, he created the world with the potential to fall short.
    • Criticisms
      • Evolution suggests that the world is changing due to science.
      • It is not biologically accurate that we are all seminally present in Adam.
      • Hell contradicts an omnibenevolent God.
        • If God is omniscient, why didn't He foresee The Fall?
      • Flew and Mackie ask why God didn't use His omnipotence to create humans that want to choose good over evil.
        • If humans can have immutable goodness on Heaven, then why not on Earth?

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Philosophy resources:

See all Philosophy resources »See all Evil resources »