1. Human and Divine Suffering in Late Antiquity Prof. Paul Gavrilyuk

2. Introduction and Orientation 1.Course overview: three main themes. 2.Methodological considerations. 3.Course requirements. Apse Mosaic, 12 th c. (frag.) San Clemente, Rome.

3. Problem of Evil Job and his three friends

4. “It seems that God does not exist; because if one of two contraries be infinite, the other would be altogether destroyed. But the word "God" means that He is infinite goodness. If, therefore, God existed, there would be no evil discoverable; but there is evil in the world. Therefore God does not exist.” --Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I. 2. 3, obj. 1.

5. Aquinas: God always brings good out of evil Really? How can you be so sure? Isn’t it a bit question-begging? Is the resultant good great enough to justify evil?

6. Further questions Does the problem of evil have a satisfactory solution? What would count as such a solution?

7. Martyrdom and Persecution What kind of social, political and theological statement did the martyr’s public execution make? How did the early Church interpret the martyr’s experience of torture and death? St. Sebastian

8. Greek Poets & Philosophers on Evil How was the problem approached in antiquity? What was the message of the Greek tragedy? What is evil? What is the difference between moral and natural evil? What is the difference between genuine and apparent evil? What is the origin of evil?

9. Different types of biblical answers: Etiological Narrative Lament, Reproach Apocalypse Wisdom Saying Silence Ritual Activity (prayer; burial ceremony) Evil-Destroying Action Salvation History

10. Rival Soteriologies Tertullian vs. Marcion Irenaeus & Origen vs. Gnostics Augustine vs. Manicheans

11. “The Christian who takes the atonement seriously has no real need for theodicy.” –Kenneth Surin, Theology and the Problem of Evil, p. 142.

12. Models of Atonement RANSOM SATISFACTION PENAL SUBSTITUTION SACRIFICE EXAMPLARISM CHRISTUS VICTOR DEIFICATION POLITICAL LIBERATION

13. The three main themes of our course Problem of evil Models of Atonement God’s participation in suffering

14. Divine suffering/ impassibility Does God suffer? Does God feel emotions or pain? How does the term “impassible” function in patristic thought? How does God participate in the suffering of Christ? How do the Bible and the Fathers address these questions?

15. Analyze this Palatine Museum, Rome.

16. The Cross & Military Power Attribution: RIC IX 14c xxxviii Siscia; Date: 367-375 AD Obverse: D N GRATIANVS P F AVG, Reverse: GLORIA RO-MANORVM

17. Constantius II (337-361) DNCONSTANTIVSPFAVG – Rosette diademed, draped and cuirassed bust left holding globe, N in right field/ FEL TEMP REPARATIO,

18. History is written by the victors

19. not the losers…

20. By the conquerors, not the conquered

21. Idealization ↔ demonization

22. History re-written to rehabilitate the “losers”

23. John Dewey (1859-1952) -- present past “All history is written from the standpoint of the present.”

24. Eusebius on Constantine: “Our emperor, God’s friend, acting as interpreter to the Divine Logos, aims at recalling the whole human race to the knowledge of God.” --Eusebius, In Praise of Constantine, II. 4. Constantine’s head. Capitoline Museum.

25. A century later, however, a pagan historian remarked: “Constantine was the origin and the beginning of the present destruction of the empire.” –Zosimus, New History, 2. 34 (ca. 500). The ruins of ancient temples at the foot of Palatine. Rome.

26. Adolf von Harnack (1851-1930) We study history in order to intervene in the course of history. present past

27. present past