1. THE PROBLEM
OF EVIL AND
SUFFERING

2. Mackie’s Inconsistent Triad
ESSENTIAL IDEAS
Natural Evil
Things that happen naturally such as natural disasters, eg earthquakes
Moral Evil
Things that happen as a result of human choice, eg murder
Mackie’s Inconsistent Triad
The idea that an omnibenevolent and omnipotent God does not work with the existence of evil
Christianity
Evil is a punishment for sin – Augustine
Moral evil is the result of human free will - Ireneaus
Islam
Evil is either a test or punishment from Allah
Hinduism
Evil is not God’s fault, it is the result of a person’s own karma from a previous life
Augustine
Evil is a punishment for sin
Strength
Removes the blame from God
Weakness
Why do the innocent suffer?
Ireneaus
Evil and suffering exist to help make us better people
Evil and suffering don’t necessarily make someone a better person
Process
God did not create the world but he did set evolution in motion
Not dependent on the God of classical theism so we don’t need to rationalise the existence of evil with an all loving and powerful God.
Removes the promise of reward for those who have suffered

3. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
Explain what is meant by natural evil and give an example
Explain what is meant by moral evil and give an example
Explain how Mackie’s inconsistent triad works

4. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – RELIGIOUS VIEWS
Explain the two main Christian views on evil
Explain the Islamic view of evil
Explain the Hindu view of evil

5. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – AUGUSTINE
What does Augustine mean by the idea that evil is ‘a privation of good’?
Where does Augustine say that evil comes from and why is God justified in allowing it?
Why does Augustine think that people who suffer deserve it?
Under this theodicy, how is God still all loving?

6. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – AUGUSTINE
Give 3 strengths of Augustine’s theodicy
What are the 3 problems with Augustine describing that God created the world as perfect?
What is contradictory to the Bible as regards evil only being the privation of good?
What are the 2 problems with describing suffering as a punishment for sin?

7. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – IRENEAUS
Why did Ireneaus believe that God allowed evil and suffering to exist?
Why did Ireneaus believe that free will was important?
What did Hick say about ‘soul making’?
Why shouldn’t God interfere with the laws of science and nature according to this theodicy?

8. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – IRENEAUS
Give the 3 strengths of the Irenean theodicy
What is problematic about the claim that suffering makes someone a better person?
How does the Holocaust challenge the Irenean theodicy
How does the suffering of babies and young children challenge the Irenean theodicy?

9. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – PROCESS THEODICY
What are the major differences between Process Theodicy and the Augustinian and Irenean Theodicies?
How is God limited in Process Theodicy?
How does Process Theodicy argue that God is partly responsible for evil?
How could God be vindicated (excused) for his supposed part in creating evil?

10. ESSENTIAL IDEAS – PROCESS THEODICY
Give 2 strengths of Process Theodicy
What are the implications of saying that God is not all loving and all powerful?
What is problematic about saying that evil is justified because, overall, the amount of good outweighs the amount of evil?
What is problematic about removing the promise of a reward in the afterlife?