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The Problem of

Dr. Peter Kreeft

Outline for the OSU Newman Lecture

April 22, 2020

5 Dimensions of the Problem The Dimension The Problem The Audience 1 Practical Suffering and death: Everyone What can we do about it?

2 Apologetical, Logical The existence of evil seems Believers to disprove the existence of

3 Religious How can I trust a God who Believers lets me suffer?

4 Epistemological Why can’t we solve the Everyone problem?

5 Theological Doesn’t mean God Believers finally loses?

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Answers to the Practical Problem 1. None 2. Mitigation: a. by medical technology b. by adding pleasures to compensate c. by developing i. courage ii. compassion, altruism iii. hope 3. Radical spiritual surgery: a. Stoicism b. Buddhism 4. Christian transformation of suffering and death: a. Suffering “in Christ” freely b. Resurrection

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Five Formulations of the Atheist’s Argument vs. God from Evil 1 The Happiness Why doesn’t God make us Happy? If He won’t, He’s not all- Formulation ; if he can’t He’s not all-powerful. 2 The “Evil vs. God” If one of two opposites is infinite, the other is unreal. Evil Formulation disproves infinite goodness (God). 3 The Three Divine “God” = Infinite goodness Attributes Formulation Infinite power Infinite wisdom If God exists, no evil 4 The Dramatic Formulation “Life sucks, and then you die.” 5 The Injustice Formulation “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

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Ambiguous Terms

1. Evil: a. Physical b. Spiritual 2. Happiness: a. Subjective (wants) b. Objective (needs) 3. Justice a. Equality b. Beauty. glory 4. a. Illogical b. Logical 5. Omnibenevolence a. Kindness b. Charity 6. Omniscience a. Divine b. Human 7. Questions a. Problems b. Mysteries

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The Ambiguity of “Evil” 2 Answers to 2 problems

1. The problem of spiritual, moral evil (sin) a. Its Cause: our free choice b. Its Cure: Christ’s death and our & faith c. Why did God create ? Because Love desires free love from the beloved. 2. The problem of physical & emotional evil (suffering) a. Its Cause: sin and our psychosomatic unity (soul-body)

b. Its Cure: first cure sin, its cause c. Its Use: i. suffering justly punishes sin ii. suffering deters us from sin iii. suffering & death limits sin to this life (compare the Angel at Eden’s east gate and the “” of artificial immortality) iv. suffering educates us about sin

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Remaining Problems with the 2 Answers

1. It only addresses the problem in general, not individually 2. The hereditary transmission of presupposes a real “human nature,” which modern nominalism denies. 3. The answers are not proved a. because we are not God (St. Catherine) because we did not design our life (Job) b. because if there was proof there would be no room for faith or (Pascal’s answer to Russell’s question) c. our ignorance confirms the theistic hypothesis. Lack of it would confirm atheism d. most satisfying reasons are less than proofs, just evidence (Romeo to Juliet; ’ miracle)

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The 3 Divine Attributes: Formulation of the Atheist’s Argument

1. If God is all-good, then He wills only good. 2. If God is all-powerful, then he attains whatever He wills. 3. If God is all-knowing, He knows what is good and how to attain it. Therefore, if such a God exists: 1. There would be no evil. 2. But there is evil. 3. Therefore, God does not exist • or is weak • or is wicked • or is unwise In other words, If God existed, 1. Rom 8:28 would be true. 2. But Rom 8:28 is not true 3. Therefore God does not exist

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The Dramatic Formulation of The Problem of Evil “Life Stinks, then you die” Answers: 1. Life doesn’t stink. a. Good > Evil 2. Death is not the end (like birth) 3. Life has 2 stages, not 1. a. Problem and Solution b. Suffering and deliverance c. Sorrow and Joy The alternative lacks all dramatic meaning 4. Life has 3 stages, like all stories: a. Creation (-up) b. Fall (upset) c. (re-set) 5. Life has 4 stages a. St, Theresa’s “one night in an inconvenient hotel” b. The

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The Religious Problem: How can I trust a God who lets me suffer so? 1. By freely choosing to, the option is open, and not irrational 2. Pascals Wager: It’s better than the alternative 3. Jesus Christ: Trust Him 4. To liven ad to live well is to love, and love is to suffer

The Epistemological Problem: Why can’t we see it? 1. Sin and blinds our eyes 2. It’s a “mystery”, not a “problem” 3. We can see enough evidence

The Theological Problem: Hell refutes this optimism 1. The imagery is suggestive 2. What goes to Hell “remains” 3. Scratch freewill and find Hell beneath 4. If Hell is unreal, then Christ, The Church, the Saints, and the bible are all liars or fools 5. It’s God’s love that torments the damned.