These problem of evil notes summarise the background to the problem of evil, Augustinian theodicy, Irenaean theodicy, John Hicks Irenaean theodicy, the free will defence, process theodicy, scholarly quotes, and other aspects of human experience relating to the topic.
Peter Kreeft - “the problem of evil is the most serious problem in the world. It is also the one
serious objection to the existence of God.”
J.L Mackie - “a wholly good being eliminates evil as far as it can”
Aquinas - “the name God means that He is infinite goodness. If, therefore, God existed there
would be no evil discoverable; but there is evil in the world. Therefore, God does not exist”
William Rowe - bases his argument on the form of evil that he describes as “intense human
and animal suffering” that “occurs on a daily basis” and “is in great plenitude in our world”
Augustine - “all evil is either a sin or a punishment”
Neiman - “for Augustine, the connection for moral and natural evil was clear, infinite
punishment for infinite guilt”
Aquinas (Summa Theologica) - “given the things which actually exist, the universe cannot be
better”
Calvin - “Adam’s choice of good and evil was free”
F.D.E Schleiermacher - argued that there is a logical contradiction in a perfectly created
universe going wrong since this would mean evil created itself out of nothing
John Hick - Augustines theodicy is “totally lacking in plausibility” as the stories it is based on
“myth rather than history”
Rigby - “Augustine’s non-tragic theodicy exonerates God by indicting humanity as a whole”
Swinburne - “we would ever learn the art of goodness in a world designed as a complete
paradise”
Swinburne - “natural evil is not to be accounted for along the same lines as moral evil”
Scott - “without suffering we could not cultivate virtue and character”
Plantinga - argues that both God and evil can exist simultaneously, “not even an omnipotent
God can create a square circle”
Hasker - “the problem of evil logically rules out ascribing perfect goodness of God”
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