Hick chapter 11
Augustine
Irinaeus
God is not responsible for evil, we are through our God-given freedom
God created the world and must therefore be responsible for some of the evil in it
Evil is a lack (privation)/non-being
The Principle of Plenitude explains the range of beings of varying degrees of imperfection
Has a view of the universe as one where evil is balanced with punishment
More purely theological in character than to be interested in these
Man is part of a hierarchy of beings which would be incomplete without him
Man has intrinsic worth and the world is a 'vale of soul making'
Looks to the past (fall of angels) for an explanation for evil
Eschatological, justifying the existence of evil through God's ultimate purpose for humanity of salvation
Doctrine of the fall plays a central role
The fall is mainly insignificant
An originally perfect world
Rejects this: we are working towards God's 'likeness'
Man is inherently sinful
Rejects this: man makes mistakes while working towards the 'likeness'
There will be a judgement day when people will go to heaven or hell
Rejects hell, instead tending towards universality
Points of agreement
Hints of an estchatalogical view of the universe and understanding of the goodness of God's creation as a whole
Both end up giving God the ultimate responsibility for evil athough augustine does it implicity
Both accept that it was better to bring good out of evil than to not permit evil at all
Both acknowledge restrictions on God's omniscience (to allow free will) without restricting his omnipotence
Both allow the world to be valued regardless of its fitness as an environment for human life