theodicy
Divine goodness defense
Theodicy is the attempt to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with belief in an omnipotent, benevolent God.
If God is all-powerful and all-good, why do innocent children die?
Why do natural disasters destroy lives?
Theodicy addresses these questions through various arguments—that suffering builds character, that free will necessitates the possibility of evil, or that human understanding is too limited to grasp divine purposes.
The term is primarily used in philosophy and theology: His theodicy relied heavily on the concept of free will.
The Holocaust challenged every traditional theodicy.
Baroque-era polymath philosopher-mathematician
- optimismTendency to expect good
- privationLack of necessities
- cosmic justiceUniverse enforcing moral balance
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
Profound moral wickedness
- painBodily or emotional distress
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- miseryIntense prolonged distress
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
catastrophe · disaster · natural disaster · disease · famine · genocide · Holocaust · innocent suffering
Supreme spiritual authority
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- mysterySomething unexplained or unknown
- trustConfidence in another
- prayerAddress to deity
worship · redemption · salvation · grace · hope · eternal life · heaven · afterlife
Systematic doctrine defense
- vindicationClearance of blame
- defenseProtection against harm
- explanationStatement making something clear
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
argumentation · legitimation · rationale · validation · divine justice · greater good · exoneration · reconciliation
Why omnipotent goodness allows suffering
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
- omniscienceUnlimited knowledge state
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
- EpicurusAthenian pleasure-seeking sage
David Hume · atheism · defense · God's existence · incompatibility
Critical textual interpretation
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- EcclesiastesHebrew wisdom book
- PsalmsBiblical book of songs
- GenesisFirst biblical book
Romans · textual analysis · allegory · literalism · midrash · canonical · tradition · typology
Leibniz
Baroque-era polymath philosopher-mathematician
- optimismTendency to expect good
- privationLack of necessities
- cosmic justiceUniverse enforcing moral balance
evil
Profound moral wickedness
- painBodily or emotional distress
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- miseryIntense prolonged distress
tragedy · catastrophe · disaster · natural disaster · disease · famine · genocide · Holocaust · innocent suffering · human suffering
God
Supreme spiritual authority
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- mysterySomething unexplained or unknown
- trustConfidence in another
prayer · worship · redemption · salvation · grace · hope · eternal life · heaven · afterlife · divine plan
apologetics
Systematic doctrine defense
- vindicationClearance of blame
- defenseProtection against harm
- explanationStatement making something clear
reasoning · argumentation · legitimation · rationale · validation · divine justice · greater good · exoneration · reconciliation · coherence
problem of evil
Why omnipotent goodness allows suffering
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
- omniscienceUnlimited knowledge state
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
Epicurus · David Hume · atheism · defense · God's existence · incompatibility
exegesis
Critical textual interpretation
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- EcclesiastesHebrew wisdom book
- PsalmsBiblical book of songs
Genesis · Romans · textual analysis · allegory · literalism · midrash · canonical · tradition · typology · prophetic
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- Biblical WisdomEcclesiastes, Job, wisdom of Solomon, King Solomon, Solomon
- Book of JobJob, Satan, Yahweh, God, Leviathan
- divinitydeity, godhood, divine, godhead, holiness
- enlightenmentVoltaire, Rousseau, Locke, Kant, Montesquieu
- Faith and Sciencefaith and reason, intelligent design, creationism, creation science, evolution debate
theodicyabsurdism
Philosophy embracing existence's irrationality