Theodicy in the Perspective of Philosophical Theology: Addressing the Problem of Evil and Suffering in the Presence of an All-Powerful God
Keywords:
Theodicy, evil, suffering, philosophical theology, free will, theological ethicsAbstract
Theodicy is the most difficult problem in philosophical theology, and it concerns how God, if benevolent and omnipotent, can permit evil and suffering into the world. This article considers classical and modern arguments about theodicy: those by Augustine and Leibniz, the modern critiques by David Hume, and existential philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre. Through a hermeneutical approach, this paper will illustrate the relevance of theodicy to modern theological ethics and how suffering can be approached in light of the furthered understanding of human free will and divine love.References
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