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Theism And The Problem Of Evil: A Critical Study
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The idea of God and the problem
of evil is one of the most controversial themes in philosophy. Various
arguments have been advanced down the ages by philosophers and
theologians on this very problem of Evil and God and there has been no
definite answer to this problem. The theist gave reasons why evil
persist in the world created by a loving God, who they also believed
that he is omnipotent, omniscience and all-merciful. There seems to be
conflict between the theist and atheist on this very problem of God and
Evil. The atheist used this as a fertile ground to prove that there is
no God as claimed by the theist.
John Hick on “Gender Good Defenceâ€
is of the view that when God initially created humanity, there was still
some work to be done in making us a completed product. However, this
remaining work could not be accomplished by God alone, we have to
contribute to the process. Using the Greater Good Defence, Hick argues
that even God himself could not achieve certain results without allowing
us to struggle against evil and to endure suffering.
Furthermore,
the first chapter will concentrate on the statement of the problem,
theism and the problem of evil. A method of research, purpose and the
significant of this work will be discussed.
The second chapter will
dwell on the meaning of theism, the idea of God and the various argument
for the existence of God (prove of God’s existence).
The third
chapter will be on the concept of evil as the problem, the meaning of
evil and the different philosophical explanation of evil and finally the
different types of evil in the world.
Chapter four will dwell on the
problem (Theism and the problem of evil). We will first look and
examine evil as the problem and different ways of explanation given by
theist concerning this very problem of evil and God.
Finally, chapter
five will be the summary of this work, reflecting what has been infer
from chapter four then evaluate and conclude the work.
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The
existence of God and the problem of evil has been a problem for long
that men have searched for the reason why evil persist in a world
claimed to be created by God who is omnipotent, omniscience and
all-merciful. Man has tried to find out the causes of evil, why man
created by God involved in bad action or why man carry out bad action on
their fellow man and why there is so much evil in the world especially
natural evil.
Theist are faced with the problem of evil and this lead
to their search of what is evil and causes of it, if it is a thing and
also what and who is responsible for evil in the world. Different
theists have given different views of evil. The Manicheans claimed to
have the answer to the problem of evil, according to them, there are two
ultimate principles and all sources of all things namely, Ormued (The
Principle of Good) and Ahriman (The Principle of Evil). The Ahriman is
the source of evil, darkness and all material things.
Men soul came
from Ormuzd (the principle of good) while the body from Ahriman. These
two ultimate principle according to them, are eternal and in perpetual
conflict with each other and this conflict is reflected in the things
that come from them.
Hence light and darkness, spirit and matter,
good and evil are also in perpetual conflict. Christian theologians
believe that evil is the wrath of God meted out on disobedient children.
Augustine hold that evil is the negation or a privation of being. Evil
is not a thing according to Augustine and therefore was not and cannot
be created. Everything that is created is good and everything that is
substance is good, but evil the origin of which I was trying find out is
not a substance and was not created, therefore the question or the
problem of evil should not arise because it does not make sense to ask
about what is not a thing (substance). Evil cannot exist on it’s own but
Good can exist on it’s own.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The presence of evil in a world said to be created by a “Being†who is not only omnipotent, omniscience and perfectly good is problematic. It is a problem that has perturbed man for ages and coupled with various natural disaster still make the concept problematic one. How can there be a loving God, all-powerful and all-knowing God and still face the problem of evil, if really he is perfectly good and created everything then where does evil originated from?Atheist or agnostics base th ... Continue reading---
