The Problem of Evil

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Introduction

One of the oldest dilemmas in philosophy is also one of the greatest threats to Christian theology. The problem of evil simultaneously perplexes the world’s greatest minds and yet remains palpably close to the hearts of the most common people. If God is good, then why is there evil? The following essay describes the problem of evil in relation to God, examines Christian responses to the problem, and concludes the existence of God and the existence of evil are fully compatible.

Body

“The problem of evil is often divided between the logical and evidential problems.” At the heart of each problem is the belief that the existence of God and the existence evil are incompatible. They present an “either/or” dilemma: either God exists or evil exists, for they cannot exist together. Clearly evil does exist, therefore, God must not. The logical problem of evil (LPE) proposes that if God exists, He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent; in short, He would have the ability, knowledge, and desire to prevent evil. With the obvious existence of evil, God must not then exist.

Christians have argued against LPE through in a variety of arguments (a number of these arguments could be labeled more broadly under the term “theistic,” but due to the nature of this paper, they will be cast from a Christian perspective). Some Christian arguments are considered sounder then others, but it is generally granted the Christian has succeeded in his task. Of note, the Christian doesn't need to explain why God would allow evil; he only needs to provide a reason that shows the existence of evil is not incompatible with the existence of God.

Bluntly, the Christian could first appeal to the limits of human epistemology: claiming t...

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...ers.

2. Cowan, Steven and Spiegel, James. 2009. The Love of Wisdom. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group.

3. Dombrowski, Dan, "Charles Hartshorne", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hartshorne/, (Last accessed: October 15, 2011).

4. Ganssle, Greg, “The Problem of Evil,” Lecture, Dartmouth College, (February 2, 1998), http://www.gradresources.org/worldview_articles/problem_evil.shtml, (Last accessed: October 15, 2011).

5. Tooley, Michael, "The Problem of Evil,” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2010/entries/evil/, (Last accessed: October 15, 2011).

6. Waters, Larry and Zuck, Roy. Ed. 2011. Why, O God? Suffering and Disability in the Bible and Church. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

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