OCR Philosophy - Evil: Augustine and Ireneaus

Evil

Augustine (354 - 430BCE):

• The Book of Genesis states that God created the universe and everything in it.
• If a perfect God created everything in existence then it is impossible for evil to exist.
• Evil is not a substance, it is an absence of goodness.
• E.g. if someone is violent to someone else, then that action has resulted from an absence of kindness.
• God created a perfect world, Adam and Eve were made in God's likeness.
• The Fall of Man - Adam and Eve disobeyed God and that created sin/evil.
• God knew this would happen as he is omniscient.
• God chose not to stop it because we can't live in a world where humans are like 'perfect robots'.
• He gave humans free will so they could decide whether to obey Him or not.
• Without free will, God's creation would be mechanical, we must be free to choose.
• When people do wrong they punish themselves like Adam and Eve did.
• We all descended from Adam and Eve so we inherit their guilt and sin.
• God sent Jesus so that we can get close to God once again.

Ireneaus (c130 - 202):

• 'And now we will make human…