No Pain! No Gain” The Theodicy of St. Irenaeus’ Revd. Gareth Williams Bishop of Llandaff HS

Key Preliminary Concepts ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’ (Genesis 1:26) In other words, human beings bear a similarity with God, yet they are also radically different to God, nevertheless they are unique in creation in that they alone can have a personal relationship with God ‘How if we had no knowledge of the contrary, could we have instruction in that which is good’ (Irenaeus) In other words, if we did not know about evil, how would we know what is good”

Build morality fast Evil and suffering are like a spiritual growth hormone Evil has a purpose, helps us to create our soul Responding positively to evil (by seeking goodness) draws the soul into a personal, closer relationship with God

Irenaeus on Creation God not create humans perfect (c.f. Augustine - state from which we fell) but created us by ‘2- stage' process Firstly, humans are created with potential to evolve into social, moral and spiritual beings, capable of reflection on their environment. Humans not become like this suddenly, but developed through long process of struggle against hostile environment.

Journey into Divine Likeness This Process of struggle sets scene for the second stage in human development: Humans, through their own freewill, are being made into the Divine 'likeness'. Each human on a journey to becoming more God-like Perfection not in past but now lies in the future!

“Image” and “Likeness” Ir says hat human beings are created in the ‘image’ and ‘likeness’ of God We have free will (image of God), and we are spiritual as well as physical creatures (likeness of God). Our purpose is to grow from the image to the likeness of God (i.e. to develop as moral and spiritual beings).

Evil has a purpose Fall for Ir (as opposed to Aug) happens in this world where we refuse to use our freewill to grow into the likeness of God. This underlines the key difference between Aug/Ir - For Ir, evil has an important purpose, for A it is a punishment from god.

Importance of Free Will Ir says placed here in a hostile environment to learn to become better people. Begs question why God has placed humans in a 'hostile environment' in order to bring them to perfection? Why not simply start (and end) by creating each human perfect and automatically conscious and aware of God)

Vardy’s analogy

Peter Vardy Highest human good is a loving relationship with God, a love that is freely chosen; God gives free will hoping they elect to love him. Genuine free will means humans can commit evil, so God created evil in order to achieve the greater good; humans to freely have a loving relationship with Him. Parable of King who is in love with a peasant girl. King simply demand her love, and girl could feign or manufacture feelings for the King; but King could not force her to give genuine, unrequited love. God as the omnipotent King opts not to force us, the peasant girls, into a relationship because it would not be genuine. We freely come to God vis-à-vis free will, c.f. as robots.

John Hick’s version

Epistemic Distance 'In order to be a person, exercising some measure of genuine freedom, the creature must be brought into existence, not in the immediate divine presence, but at a distance from God.'

Epistemic Distance God is more interested in our choosing to become who he wants us to be rather than force us. Furthermore, in order that we might 'act naturally' and not be overwhelmed by the reality of God, God remains distant to us (what Hick calls an 'epistemic distance').

Epistemology 'Epistemology' is to do with knowledge. Hick talks about an 'epistemic distance', God is not 'in our face' (so to speak). Hick believes God needs to 'draw away from us', in order that we might act (spiritually and morally) 'naturally‘ otherwise we would be overwhelmed c.f. how we act speaking to the Head Teacher?

Policeman analogy Versus No choice/freedom Morality and free choice

Counterfactual hypothesis What would be the implications for humans if we lived in a paradise without suffering?

Eschathological Verification Hick uses term to explain how the purpose of suffering and evil will become apparent in the afterlife. Suffering is still a problem for Hick but its purpose will become apparent in the afterlife.

The afterlife This world is a ‘vale of soul making’. Heaven is the justification of all the suffering, and we go there when we are developed enough. What questions does this raise or leave unanswered? Innocent victims? Does all suffering develop Humans? Universal salvation?

Beginning to Evaluate Irenaeus (next lesson) Universal salvation? How much suffering? – Dostoyevsky in Brothers Karamazov. Contradiction of suffering as an expression of love? - DZ Phillips Can we be free and only choose good? - J. Mackie.

Augustinian TheodicyIrenaeus Theodicy God Evil Evil comes from: Creation Other Key Details Solving the Problem?

Augustinian TheodicyIrenaeus Theodicy Strengths Weaknesses Concluding points

Comparison The Augustinian TheodicyThe Irenaean Theodicy Soul-decidingSoul-making World created perfectlyWorld created perfectly/imperfectly Man in the likeness of GodMan created imperfectly [imagio dei] Man has moral autonomyMan with true moral autonomy Freedom leads to the fallFreedom gives potential for growth Man responsible for evilGod partly responsible for evil Free will leads to sufferingFree will leads to development Man condemnedMan created with potential Man redeemed by ChristMan redeemed through his own actions God foresaw the fallGod remains at an epistemic distance Fall happens in the pastFall happens presently/future Evil is a privationEvil can lead to good Depends on life after deathDepends on life after death