I’ve heard of theology and theocracy, but what is theodicy?
Theodicy is the assertion of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil. In other words, theodicy is an attempt to answer what some see as an apparent inconsistency with God. You may have heard a question similar to this: Why would a just and loving God create a system in which evil is so pervasive? This question stems from the words of Epicurus, a prominent Stoic philosopher. He asked, “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
The questions that Epicurus proposed, and all such questions since, have kept philosophers and theologians busy for countless years.
Theodicy is the assertion of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil. In other words, theodicy is an attempt to answer what some see as an apparent inconsistency with God. You may have heard a question similar to this: Why would a just and loving God create a system in which evil is so pervasive? This question stems from the words of Epicurus, a prominent Stoic philosopher. He asked, “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
The questions that Epicurus proposed, and all such questions since, have kept philosophers and theologians busy for countless years.
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