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  • A Critique On Irenaean Theodicy

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    Brent Torres
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    This paper critiques Irenaean theodicy, which attempts to address the problem of evil by arguing that God allows evil to exist so that humans can develop free will and grow to become perfected like God. However, the paper raises two main weaknesses with this view. First, it argues that if evil is meant for human development, it is unfair that some people suffer much greater than others through no fault of their own, like those with genetic illnesses. Second, it questions why an all-loving God would use evil and suffering for human development at all, when there are arguably better ways to achieve this without inflicting harm.

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    A CRITIQUE ON IRENAEAN THEODICY

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    This paper critiques Irenaean theodicy, which attempts to address the problem of evil by arguing that God allows evil to exist so that humans can develop free will and grow to become perfected like God. However, the paper raises two main weaknesses with this view. First, it argues that if evil is meant for human development, it is unfair that some people suffer much greater than others through no fault of their own, like those with genetic illnesses. Second, it questions why an all-loving God would use evil and suffering for human development at all, when there are arguably better ways to achieve this without inflicting harm.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    106 views2 pages

    A Critique On Irenaean Theodicy

    Uploaded by

    Brent Torres
    This paper critiques Irenaean theodicy, which attempts to address the problem of evil by arguing that God allows evil to exist so that humans can develop free will and grow to become perfected like God. However, the paper raises two main weaknesses with this view. First, it argues that if evil is meant for human development, it is unfair that some people suffer much greater than others through no fault of their own, like those with genetic illnesses. Second, it questions why an all-loving God would use evil and suffering for human development at all, when there are arguably better ways to achieve this without inflicting harm.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 2

    Brent Christian T.

    Torres Philosophy of Religion


    Philosophy IV
    A CRITIQUE ON IRENAEAN THEODICY

    Irenaean Theodicy is first and foremost designed to respond to the problem of evil. In this

    problem of evil, God is described as an all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving but still evil

    undeniably exists. Unlike St. Augustine, Irenaeus accepted that God was at least partly to blame

    for the presence of evil but on some good reasons. First, is that God’s aim in creation was to

    make perfect people and secondly, human perfection cannot be ready made and it has to develop.

    Furthermore, it is our nature to be free and we have all the chances to do something evil.

    However, God cannot remove evil because it would compromise our freedom. Eventually,

    everyone will develop into God’s likeness by overcoming evil.

    In this paper, I would only evaluate some of the weaknesses of Irenaean theodicy

    especially on that of evil and suffering. Firstly, if evil is important for the development of human

    beings, why is it that there are some people who suffer much greater than the others? This makes

    God bias to humans since he favors some who has not undergone so much suffering. For

    example, some people did not choose to have a mental illness or cancer but they came to that

    person maybe because of the genes of his or her ancestors. How then could we explain to those

    people suffering from these kind of suffering that God allowed it in order for them to develop

    where in fact, it would cost them their lives? Furthermore, these kinds of evil does not anymore

    help us to grow because it destroys life. A new born baby, who was born to have a whole in his

    heart or a tumor in his brain cannot grow to be in the likeness of God because he has only a 10%

    chance of surviving if not well cared. Some people do not benefit from suffering and so they do

    not learn a lesson or develop.


    Brent Christian T. Torres Philosophy of Religion
    Philosophy IV
    Secondly, why would a loving God use evil for human beings to grow and develop where

    in fact, there are better ways to make us in his likeness? Since many people develop good

    qualities without pain and suffering.

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