First, What is the Problem of Evil?
Second, many believe that the Problem of Evil can not be solved. They think that the resolution of the conflict between God’s characteristics and the existence of evil can only result in denying the existence of the deity altogether or the changing of the properties of the deity or a recasting of the idea of evil so that it really is not evil at all.
So, there are some possible responses to the problem:
deny that there is a god: atheism
change the idea of god: post modern ideas e.g., process theology
change the idea of evil
denial of evil solution
aesthetic totality solution
least of evils solution
attempt to explain how an all perfect god and evil can exist at the same time using the free will defense or the testing defense or some other defense that is part of Theodicy.
Defend ONE of these solutions using evidence from your readings:
Fyodor Dostoevsky, “Rebellion,”
J.L. Mackie: “Evil and Omnipotence,”
Peter Van Inwagen, “The Argument from Evil,”
Michael Murray and Michael Rea, “The Argument from Evil,”
B.C. Johnson, “God and the Problem of Evil”.
Please paraphrase these arguments, do not quote. Also, indicate why you chose this solution and follow up with effective analysis.
