#divine attributes

The philosophy of the problem of evil grapples with the existence of evil and suffering in a world that is often characterized as being created or overseen by a benevolent and omnipotent deity. It raises fundamental questions about the nature of God, the origin and nature of evil, and the compatibility of divine attributes with the reality of suffering.

Key aspects of the philosophy of the problem of evil include:

Existence of Evil: Philosophers examine the existence of evil and suffering in the world, including natural disasters, human cruelty, and personal suffering. They analyze the various forms of evil and the impact they have on individuals and societies.

Theological Implications: The problem of evil raises theological challenges to traditional conceptions of God as omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnibenevolent (all-good). Philosophers explore the tension between the existence of evil and the attributes commonly ascribed to God in religious traditions.

Logical Problem: Some formulations of the problem of evil present a logical challenge to the existence of God. Philosophers argue that the coexistence of evil and an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God is logically incompatible. They seek to demonstrate that the existence of evil renders the existence of such a God logically impossible.

Evidential Problem: The evidential problem of evil acknowledges that while the logical problem may not conclusively disprove the existence of God, the prevalence and intensity of evil raise serious doubts about the likelihood of God's existence. Philosophers examine the evidential force of evil in undermining belief in a benevolent deity.

Responses and Theodicies: Philosophers and theologians have proposed various responses and theodicies (justifications for the existence of evil) to reconcile the problem of evil with the existence of God. These include free will defenses, soul-making theodicies, and appeals to divine mystery or higher purposes.

Empirical and Experiential Dimensions: The problem of evil is not merely an abstract philosophical puzzle but also an existential and emotional challenge for individuals grappling with personal suffering and tragedy. Philosophers consider the empirical realities and subjective experiences of evil and suffering in human life.

Implications for Religious Belief: The problem of evil has profound implications for religious belief and existential questions about the nature of reality, morality, and the human condition. Philosophers explore how different responses to the problem of evil shape religious faith, moral outlooks, and existential attitudes.

“The magnitude of the work to be done in Christology and theology proper underscores how important it is for biblical scholars, historical theologians, and dogmatic theologians to cooperate. Reading Scripture today without an alertness to the history of Christian exegesis and dogmatic theology severely limits one’s interpretive resources and may lead to advocating a reading of a text that has…

I must admit I wasn’t looking forward to reading “None Greater” by Matthew Barrett.  Simply Trinity had not just left me frustrated and disappointed but angry as well.  You can find out why here and here.  None Greater is a much better offering but the bar was set quite low. Barrett’s book is about what he describes as the “untamed attributes of God”, namely those particularly associated with…

In a recent “Walk and talk” video, I started to wonder if some of the recent controversies within Reformed thinking relate to  something called the Doctrine of Divine Impassibility.  Impassibility is to do with passions, in fact it means to be “without passions.”  Impassibility is an implicit doctrine, in other words, rather than being something that Scripture explicitly says, we imply it from…