Discover published sets by community

A theodicy is an attempt to justify why a good and all-powerful God allows evil to exist. Different theodicies include the free will theodicy, soul-making theodicy, and the punishment theodicy.

Natural evil refers to suffering that results from natural processes, like earthquakes or diseases, rather than human actions. Responses often appeal to the laws of nature being necessary for free will or the necessity of a stable natural world order.

The evidential problem of evil posits that the vast amounts of apparent gratuitous suffering make it unlikely that an all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God exists. Responses involve skeptical theism, soul-making theodicies, and the idea that humans cannot understand God's reasons.

The greater good argument suggests that evil is permitted by God because it leads to greater goods that would not otherwise be achievable, such as the development of virtues.

Some Eastern religions and philosophical schools argue that evil is ultimately an illusion stemming from human ignorance. In Buddhism, for example, overcoming ignorance through enlightenment is a way to transcend suffering.

The logical problem of evil argues that the existence of an omnibenevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God is logically incompatible with the existence of evil. Responses include free will defenses, the necessity of evil for the existence of good, and the 'greater good' argument.

Augustine proposed that evil is not a substance but a privation of good, similar to how darkness is the absence of light. Thus, God did not create evil per se, but rather, evil results from turning away from God's goodness.

This theodicy posits that some instances of suffering are divine punishments for sin or moral wrongdoing. However, this explanation is often problematic when applied to innocent sufferers.

Process theodicy, rooted in process philosophy, argues that God is not omnipotent in the classical sense and is in process with the world. Therefore, God influences rather than controls, and evil arises from the operation of the universe rather than God's will.

Moral evil is the result of human actions that cause suffering or deprive others of their well-being. The free will defense is often cited as a response to this type of evil.

The free will defense claims that evil is a necessary consequence of God granting humans free will. Evil arises from human decisions rather than God's design. It's proposed by philosophers like Alvin Plantinga.

Proposed by Leibniz, this perspective suggests that despite the existence of evil, the world is the best possible way it could be created by an omnipotent and benevolent God to achieve the best balance of good over evil.

Skeptical theism argues that human beings are not in a position to understand God's ways or his reasons for allowing evil. It's a response that rests on the limitations of human knowledge.

Soul-making theodicy suggests that God allows evil because it helps develop moral and spiritual qualities in humans. Advocated by John Hick, this view posits that encountering evil is necessary for spiritual growth.

Some religious perspectives differentiate between evil and divine testing, seeing trials and tribulations as tests of faith or character rather than evils. This view can be found, for instance, in the Islamic understanding of suffering.

Eschatological theodicy holds that all suffering and evil will be made right in the end times. Many religious traditions assert that ultimate justice and reconciliation will occur at the end of history, offering hope beyond present suffering.

Existential theodicy focuses on individual responses to suffering and evil rather than intellectual explanations. It emphasizes personal commitment, faith, and the search for individual meaning in the face of life's challenges.

In religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, the laws of karma and the cycle of reincarnation provide a framework for understanding suffering. One's actions in past lives influence present circumstances, which can include the experience of suffering.

Fallen world theology ascribes the presence of evil and suffering to the Fall of humanity, as narrated in Christian tradition. The world is in a marred state due to original sin, requiring redemption and salvation.