Understanding Theoldicy (Part 2) - The Conflict

The existence of evil, to many, stands at odds with the concept of God. A "theodicy" is an attempt to explain, in a manner that man can understand, the ways of God in the specific way they relate to the existence of evil in the world. Many times people speak of the "problem of evil", approaching the issue as something to be fixed. Here, though, it would be better to understand the issue as the "argument from evil" (against the existence of God). Understanding how evil can exist in a world where an all-loving, all-powerful God is a reality is different from addressing the "problem of evil" - that is an approach which, in starting from the concept of a problem seeks a solution. Here the attempt is not to "solve" evil, but to understand how it is that it (evil) can exist and actually does.

The issue at hand doesn't really concern how evil entered the world either. The Bible is very clear on that, that sin entered the world through one man's disobedience, and death itself came into the world by the entrance of sin (Romans 5:12). From this, natural, moral, and physical (as well as psychological) suffering resulted immediately.

As the "argument from evil" is approached there is a specific misunderstanding that must also be addressed. This issue has nothing at all to do with Satan. Satan is not the King of Evil, standing on par with God. No, rather, Satan stands as the prime example of one enslaved by sin, one consumed by sin. He is not sin's ruler, but rather its ultimate slave. Evil is no force that it needs a figurehead or mastermind behind it. Evil is only a degredation, a corruption. It is a reality, but not a valid one - it is Wrong, and that is why man has such a problem with it. In his heart, man knows that evil is wrong and should not be.

In the end, that is the heart of this issue. The "argument from evil" proposes that there is no God (at least in the Biblical, Christian sense) because there is evil. The question is why an all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God allows such terrible evils as this world knows to exist and continue. In short, how could a good God allow bad things? The answer seems to be that either he is loving, but weak and impotent because he cannot stop evil, or he is all-powerful and all-knowing but uncaring because he will not stop evil.

Though both answers seem valid, they are inadequate in a Biblical sense and paint the picture of a God not worthy of honor or loyalty. A more Biblical answer can be proffered, but it will not be as quick and simple and painless as some would like.

Blogged with the Flock Browser