TIMED ESSAY – EVIL AND SUFFERING – AS7

a) Explain why evil and suffering may be an obstacle to religious belief (30)
b) Explore the Christian response to this problem. (15)
Part A
 Introduction: examples of evil and suffering
 Philosophical Problem – 5 presuppositions –God exists and is interested
in his creation, God in omnipotent, God is wholly good, God does not wish
for his creation to suffer, evil exists.
 2 forms of suffering – moral evil (malum culpae) and non-moral evil
(malum poenae). See Aquinas’ comment on non-moral evil and Monist
perception on evil.
 Moral Evil – Why have humans been created with the ability to sin? This
is the question raised by Mackie and Flew.
 Defence by Richard Swinbourne and Aquinas in the Freewill defence –
criticised further by Dostoyevsky.
 Is our concept of God wrong? – refer to the views of Decartes and
Aquinas. Refer to the ideas of Process Theodicy.
 Atheist position – “Brute fact” – no point in looking for someone to
blame. “God is dead”.
 Is evil always bad? – is there a long term benefit? Is it a function of
human growth? We need to have evil/suffering to recognise the good.
 Why is a perfect world inconceivable? – is it because we are built for
eternity?
Part B
 See Theodicies – Augustine (soul deciding) – criticism: logical, scientific
moral, and literal.,
- Iranaeus (soul making) – criticism: unjust, too much suffering, not an
experience of love.
 Biblical Response – Job – this book in the OT is devoted to the problem of
suffering. Job (rhymes with globe) is a good man who suffers total disaster.
His children are killed, he loses all his property and possessions and he is
afflicted by a painful and disfiguring skin disease. The book offers three
possible explanations for Job’s suffering: Suffering is a test, Suffering is a
punishment for sin (God rejects this idea and introduces this third idea) –
Suffering is a part of God’s plan, which is beyond human understanding.
 Suffering is being human – as if to confirm that suffering is a necessary part
of being human, Christians point to the suffering of Jesus. Jesus prayed before
his death, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me”. Just
before he died he shouted: “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”. He
also said, “It is accomplished” – suggesting that his suffering had a purpose.
See also the comments made by Moltmann and refer back to the Freewill
Defence.
 Vardy: “all must fall silent”. The Apostle Paul: “Now we see but a poor
reflection as in a mirror, then face to face.” “Suffering produces endurance –
faith”. Also Revelation 21v4 on the hope of heaven: “He will wipe away every
tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or
pain, for the old order of things have passed away.”