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Religious Studies Edexcel(Problem of Evil and Suffering Notes)

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Religious Studies Edexcel(Problem of Evil and Suffering Notes)
Natural evil – which is malfunctioning of the natural world, for example disease, earthquakes and famine.

Moral evil – which is the result of morally wrong human actions such as murder and war

Omnipotent – If God is omnipotent all powerful, he can do anything this means he could create a world free from evil and suffering and he could stop evil and suffering.

Problem of evil and suffering
Omniscient – If God is omniscient all knowing he must know how to stop evil and suffering

Omni benevolent – If God is omnibenevolent all loving he would wish to end all evil and suffering.

Aquinas – wrote in the summa theological “but the name of 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.

Inconsistent triad – The problem of evil can be viewed as an inconsistent triad which is the three are logically inconsistent. If God is omnipotent he is aware of the existing evil and suffering and knows how to put a stop to it. If God is omnibenevolent he will want to put a stop to it yet evil and suffering does exist.

Hick – John Hick defined evil as “physical pain, mental suffering and moral wickedness” For Hick, the consequence of evil is suffering.

Augustine – Augustine in his book ‘confessions,’ recognise this problem: “Either God is not able to abolish evil or not willing; if he is not able then he is not all powerful he is not willing then he is not all

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