The irenaean theodicy
- Created by: Rowanne Rees
- Created on: 28-04-13 18:28
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- The Irenaean Theodicy
- Put forward by Irenaeus in the 2nd century
- Ideas based on the Bible "Then God said. 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness'." Genesis 1v26
- IMAGE : Intelligence (possessing the potential qualities of God's spiritual perfection)
- LIKENESS : Completion (actualising and developing those qualities)
- Irenaeus regarded life on earth as humans develop into their potential and grown from image to likeness
- The evil and suffering they face are to help them achieve this
- When ever a good choice is made, that individual develops a little more into the image (spiritual maturity)
- He believed God did not create a perfect world
- The presence of evil in the world was a deliberate action of an omnibenevolent God who wanted to make his creation develop the qualities that would make them spiritually perfect
- A world full of evil and temptation is necessary for human development
- You would not appreciate good health if you had not been ill
- Characteristics like patience, perseverance and courage would not have been taught if evil and suffering was not present in the world
- This development requires freewill to choose good or bad
- ANALOGY God is a craftsman working with humans as his material trying to mould them into perfection by allowing experiences, good and bad, to craft us into what he wants
- Those who do bad a resist will be punished in the next life but can earn god's forgiveness and further develop
- Ultimately, all will be rewarded with heaven, some earlier than others
- Ideas based on the Bible "Then God said. 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness'." Genesis 1v26
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