The Evidential Problem of Evil

The evidential problem of evil focuses on the probability of God's existence given the amount and types of evil observed in the world. This approach is less absolute than the logical problem but still presents a significant challenge to theism.

Definition: The evidential problem of evil argues that the existence of evil makes God's existence improbable, rather than logically impossible.

Key points:

• It acknowledges that evil exists and questions whether an omniscient, omnibenevolent, and omnipotent God would allow it.
• One response is that we cannot know what an omniscient God would do, making comparison difficult.

Example: Natural disasters, diseases, and human cruelty are often cited as evidence in the evidential problem of evil.

Augustine's Theodicy

Augustine's theodicy, also known as the Augustinian theodicy, attempts to explain the existence of evil while maintaining God's perfection and omnipotence.

Key elements of Augustine's theodicy:

1. God created everything perfectly, as stated in Genesis.
2. Evil is not a creation of God but a privation of good (privatio boni).
3. The Fall of angels and humans introduced evil through free will.

Quote: "Free will is the cause of our doing evil" - Augustine

Augustine argues that free will is vital for genuine love of God, justifying its existence despite the potential for evil.

Highlight: The concept of Original Sin is central to Augustine's explanation of ongoing evil and suffering in the world.

The Fall and Natural Evil

Augustine's theodicy extends to explain natural evil through the concept of The Fall. This event, according to Christian theology, disrupted the natural order and introduced suffering into the world.

Key points:

1. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to the Fall.
2. Natural evil is a consequence of human sin.
3. Original Sin continues to affect humanity, justifying ongoing punishment.

Quote: "Thy just judgement is the cause of our having to suffer the consequences" - Augustine

Criticisms of this approach include:

• Scientific inaccuracies regarding human origins
• Logical contradictions in the perfection of creation
• Questions about God's foreknowledge of evil

Example: Schleiermacher argued that either the world was created imperfect or God allowed it to go wrong, presenting a logical issue for Augustine's theodicy.

Irenaean Theodicy and Soul-Making

The Irenaean theodicy, also known as the soul-making theodicy, offers an alternative explanation for the existence of evil. This approach, developed by Irenaeus and later expanded by John Hick, suggests that evil serves a purpose in human development.

Key aspects of the Irenaean theodicy:

1. The world was created with evil to allow humans to develop into mature beings.
2. Evil allows us to appreciate good and learn moral lessons.
3. Free will is essential for genuine moral growth.

Quote: "How, if we had no knowledge to the contrary, could we have instruction in that which is good?" - Irenaeus

John Hick's contributions:

• Introduced the concept of "epistemic distance" - God's hiddenness allows for genuine faith.
• Proposed the idea of continued moral development after death.
• Argued for universal salvation as a justification for earthly suffering.

Highlight: The Irenaean theodicy emphasizes the importance of human free will and moral development in justifying the existence of evil.

Critiques and Philosophical Debates

The problem of evil and its various theodicies continue to be subjects of intense philosophical debate. Critics raise several important points:

1. Unequal distribution of suffering: Some people suffer far more than others, challenging the fairness of a soul-making process.
2. Negative effects of suffering: Not all people are improved by hardship; some are made worse.
3. Issues with universal salvation: It may undermine the significance of earthly morality and Jesus' sacrifice.
4. The scale of suffering: Dostoevsky argued that no amount of good could justify the suffering of even one child.

Quote: "One of them has been right all the time and the other wrong" - John Hick, on the parable of the celestial city

These ongoing debates highlight the complexity of the problem of evil and its central importance in a level philosophy and religious studies. The various approaches, from Augustinian to Irenaean theodicies, offer rich material for analysis in OCR a level questions and essays on the logical and evidential problems of evil.

The Logical Problem of Evil

The logical problem of evil, as formulated by Epicurus, presents an inconsistent triad of God's attributes and the existence of evil. This challenges the traditional concept of an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent God.

Definition: The logical problem of evil argues that the existence of evil is logically incompatible with an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good God.

Responses to this problem include:

1. Deism: The idea that God created the universe but does not intervene.
2. Plantinga's Free Will Defense: Argues that it's logically impossible for God to create free beings without the possibility of evil.
3. Richard Swinburne's approach: Suggests that God cannot logically give us significant freedom without allowing for the possibility of evil.

Highlight: The concept of evil as a privation of good (privatio boni) is a key element in some responses to the problem of evil.