God, Evil, and Human Learning

Fred Berthold Jr.

Description

God, Evil, and Human Learning explores the age-old question: How is it possible to believe in the God of the Christian faith when the world contains so many grievous evils? Author Fred Berthold Jr. examines the most influential argument used by Christian theologians to answer that question, the "free will defense," which holds that God is not responsible for the evil in the world, but that evil arises from the human misuse of free will. He points out the weaknesses of this defense and provides a more adequate concept of free will. Berthold argues that free will is a complex of abilities which are acquired—if acquired—through human learning in the context of experiences of actual goods and evils and their consequences. He revises the "free will defense" and offers a new view of the relationship between God and his creatures.

1. Introduction

2. The Central Importance of the Free Will Defense

3. Why Doesn't God Cause Us to Have a Wholly Virtuous Free Will?

4. Should the Traditional Free Will Defense Be Revised?

5. The Concept of a Limited God

6. The Concept of Free Will

7. A Revised Free Will Defense

8. An Ecological Theology

Notes

Bibliography

Index of Names

Index of Subjects

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie de la religion
• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christianity
• History of religions
• Philosophy of religion
• Theology

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791485309
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

God, Evil, and Human Learning

A Critique and Revision of the Free Will Defense in Theodicy

Fred Berthold Jr.

God, Evil, and Human Learning

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God, Evil, and Human Learning

A Critique and Revision of the Free Will Defense in Theodicy

Fred Berthold Jr.

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2004 State University of New York All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

Production by Michael Haggett Marketing by Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Berthold, Fred, 1922–

God, evil, and, human learning : a critique and revision of the free will defense in theodicy / Fred Berthold, Jr. p.cm. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-7914-6041-X (alk. paper)—ISBN 0-7914-6042-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Free will and determination—Religious aspects—Christianity. 2. Theodicy. 3. Good and evil—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Title. BT810.3.B47 2004 233.7–dc22 2004045244

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This work is dedicated to my wife, Laura, with thanks for many years of love, understanding, and support.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Notes

Introduction

Contents

The Central Importance of the Free Will Defense

Why Doesn’t God Cause Us to Have a Wholly Virtuous Free Will?

Should the Traditional Free Will Defense Be Revised?

The Concept of a Limited God

The Concept of Free Will

A Revised Free Will Defense

An Ecological Theology

Bibliography

Index of Names

Index of Subjects

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“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image and likeness’…” (Genesis 1:26)

The task and joy of life lies in learning to become what we are meant to be.

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Introduction

Is it possible for a person who has a proper regard for his or her rational faculties, and for the evidence afforded by experience, to believe in the God who is the object of worship by Christians? In this world there is so much suspicion, hatred, and cruelty, and so much grievous suffering, that is impossible for anyone with even a modest degree of open-mindedness to avoid questions or doubts about this God. Is this God, if indeed there be such a God, perhaps indifferent to the suf- ferings of humans? Yet Christians affirm that God is perfectly loving, that he gave his own son to make it possible for humans to overcome suffering. Is this God, if indeed there be such a God, perhaps too weak to defeat and banish the powers of evil? Yet Christians affirm that their God is omnipo- tent and that, by his divine providence, he is the ruler of the world. Without doubt the so-called problem of evil constitutes the greatest intellectual obstacle to the Christian faith, or indeed any form of theistic belief. Though this problem has most often been discussed in connection with Christian theology, as I shall do, it was formulated before the Christian era, and it has a wider application. It is a central theme of the biblical book, Job. Perhaps the earliest precise formulation was given by Epicurus (342–270 B . C .), who wrote:

God either wishes to take away evils, and is unable; or He is able and is unwilling; or He is neither willing nor able; or He is both willing and able. If He is willing and is unable, He is feeble, which is not in accordance with the character of God; if He is able and unwilling, He is envious,

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