The Problem of Evil and/or Suffering

The Problem of Evil and Suffering

The problem of evil addresses the apparent contradiction between the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent deity and the presence of evil and suffering in the world.
Evil is broadly classified into two types:
- Moral evil: This includes actions and behaviours performed by humans that cause harm to others, such as crimes, wars, and cruelty.
- Natural evil: This refers to pain and suffering caused by natural disasters or illnesses such as earthquakes, tsunamis, or cancer.
According to the problem of evil, if God was truly omnipotent, He would be able to prevent all evil. If He was truly omnibenevolent, He would want to prevent evil, and being omniscient, He would know how to.

The Augustinian Theodicy: As derived from St. Augustine’s teachings, evil is the result of free will provided by God to his creations. Evil is not a created thing, but rather the absence of good, caused by humans turning away from God’s love.
The Irenaean Theodicy: Proposed by Irenaeus and developed by John Hick, this theory suggests that the world is a ‘soul-making’ place where hardships and suffering are necessary for moral and spiritual development. Thus, suffering is integral to human becoming ‘like God’.
Process Theodicy: According to Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne, God is not omnipotent in the classical sense and, therefore, cannot prevent every instance of evil. They argue God’s power is persuasive rather than coercive, and He is in the process of acquiring new knowledge.

Counter-arguments to the Augustinian Theodicy could include the unfairness of collective guilt and the contradiction between an all-knowing God creating beings that He knew would turn away from Him.
Critiques of the Irenaean Theodicy often highlight disproportionate suffering and evil.
The Process Theodicy may be seen as contradictory to traditional theist understandings of God’s omnipotence and omniscience.

This problem has led some to question their faith, doubt the existence of God, or turn to atheism.
It has prompted philosophical discussions on what constitutes as evil, the nature of free will and the existential nature of suffering.
It has moulded various theological concepts, emphasizing on God’s benevolence and justice, or redefining God’s omnipotence.