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