A)Explain Irenaeus' Theodicy. B)"Reasoned arguments cannot account for the amount of evil in the world" Discuss
A) Explain Irenaeus' Theodicy
The Irenaeus Theodicy, often called Soul Making, is a counterpart to Augustine's Theodicy, yet it is also and opposing argument. While Augustine stated that evil came from humans and Adam in Genesis, Irenaeus proposes that evil is opposing the human races' bid to become one with God.
Irenaeus'theodicy differs from Augustine's, as it is more in the sense that God created evil, whereas Augustine described its existence to be more of a mistake. Yet some of Irenaeus points relate to Augustine's, though are different forms as they are based on different opinions.
Irenaeus battles the problem of the inconsistent triad by saying that God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omnificent and evil does exist, but that we, as a race, are not perfect. He believes that at the moment of creation we were not at all perfect, but drastically flawed. And to become one with God, as God intended, we must work toward that goal. The idea that we must work towards God places him in a higher realm. It is this epistemic distance that evil fills and we must fight through. John Hick, a perpetrator of this Theodicy states that: "In order to be a person, exercising some measure of genuine freedom, the creature must be brought into existence, not in the immediate divine presence, but at a distance from God'.
Evil comes in as the obstacle coarse in the way of the ultimate prize. After all, with such a great goal, it shouldn't be easy. Though this doesn't really answer the question of where evil came from, or why God allows it. Irenaeus believes that we chose it when humanity fell in Creation. That justifies moral evil. But what of natural evil? Why did God want this journey to take place in such a hazardous environment, with earthquakes and pestilence, and in such frail form, which is susceptible to such dangers? Hick's response is that moral and spiritual development does not take place in a static environment but comes as the result of challenge and struggle and
The Irenaeus Theodicy, often called Soul Making, is a counterpart to Augustine's Theodicy, yet it is also and opposing argument. While Augustine stated that evil came from humans and Adam in Genesis, Irenaeus proposes that evil is opposing the human races' bid to become one with God.
Irenaeus'theodicy differs from Augustine's, as it is more in the sense that God created evil, whereas Augustine described its existence to be more of a mistake. Yet some of Irenaeus points relate to Augustine's, though are different forms as they are based on different opinions.
Irenaeus battles the problem of the inconsistent triad by saying that God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omnificent and evil does exist, but that we, as a race, are not perfect. He believes that at the moment of creation we were not at all perfect, but drastically flawed. And to become one with God, as God intended, we must work toward that goal. The idea that we must work towards God places him in a higher realm. It is this epistemic distance that evil fills and we must fight through. John Hick, a perpetrator of this Theodicy states that: "In order to be a person, exercising some measure of genuine freedom, the creature must be brought into existence, not in the immediate divine presence, but at a distance from God'.
Evil comes in as the obstacle coarse in the way of the ultimate prize. After all, with such a great goal, it shouldn't be easy. Though this doesn't really answer the question of where evil came from, or why God allows it. Irenaeus believes that we chose it when humanity fell in Creation. That justifies moral evil. But what of natural evil? Why did God want this journey to take place in such a hazardous environment, with earthquakes and pestilence, and in such frail form, which is susceptible to such dangers? Hick's response is that moral and spiritual development does not take place in a static environment but comes as the result of challenge and struggle and