christian designed respond problem evil defends probability powerful perfectly loving god face evidence evil world numerous variations proposed maintain evil exists god responsible creating evil guilty creating evil typically asserts world best possible worlds allows humans fully develop versions propose creation incomplete humans fully developed experiencing evil suffering necessary development second century philosopher theologian named proposed stage creation process humans require free experience evil develop early christian theologian presented response problem evil cast world hospital soul theologian argued ought considered father kind argued nineteenth century god necessarily create world best possible world allows god purposes naturally fulfilled philosopher discussed similarities preceding calling supported view creation incomplete argued world best placed moral development humans presents genuine moral choices british philosopher proposed free moral choice humans experience consequences actions natural evil exist provide choices development process theology challenged tradition teaching god power limited responsible evil twentieth century philosopher supported idea world best possible world arguing good world including god infinite goodness evil proposing ultimate good god sacrifice jesus necessitated existence evil free defence trying logical compatibility evil existence god probability god challenged instrumental use suffering suggesting love expressed suffering states beauty love evident love continue grow withstand overcome evil acts argued magnitude suffering excessive cases lead moral development french theologian criticised arguing view free similarly important outline identified form evil god love written distinguished based free casts god responsible evil justified distinguished acceptance god responsible evil fault problem evil response problem evil raises problem powerful perfectly loving god exists evil world evidence evil world existence god attempts demonstrate existence god remains probable despite occurrence evil creation development humans according tradition humans created perfectly state teaches creation stages humans created image god created likeness god humans imperfect second stage incomplete potential humans reach perfection achieve likeness god humans refined developed proposes evil suffering exists world best way humans develop referred soul making phrase taken poet greatest possible world typical variations notion present world greatest possible world best possible worlds based idea human development suggesting best possible world best suited human development world containing evil suffering allow development better world considered best possible world development second century philosopher developed based idea creation humans progress proposed creation consists distinct parts image god likeness god believed stage complete second stage requires humans develop grow likeness god stage believed progress believed order achieve moral perfection humans given free choice actual possibility choosing evil argued humans free god distance intellectual distance humans far belief god remains free choice saw purpose world development moral character humans believed good world best suited purpose believed world include suffering evil help people draw closer god perceived god declaration book genesis creation good mean world fit purpose free suffering illustrate benefits suffering cited biblical example book suffering whale enabled god plan fulfilled brought closer god ended sin people turn god based literal interpretation bible especially book revelation believed years suffering world ends fiery purge fire believers ahead new human community existing proposed focuses time space looked forward time humans fully developed live life god early christian theologian presented suffering necessary development human beings theologian argued closely aligned beliefs ought called metaphors world school hospital souls god teacher physician suffering plays healing role reading exodus books solomon casts human development progression series stages place life death believed humans eventually reach heaven logical conclusion god hell metaphor souls nature goes hell original nature created god goes heaven scott argues significant aspects theology mean stronger continuation aspects treatment presentation world hospital progression advocates human soul early 19th century wrote speeches christian faith proposing later identified nature began asserting god concluded god create proposed perfect creation wrong suggested evil created god good reason conceived perfect world god purposes naturally achieved ultimately lead dependence god conceived sin humanity dependence god arguing inevitable citing jesus example man consciousness god theology led arguing god saved person alter proceed definite assumption belonging human race eventually taken loving fellowship christ single divine fore published evil god love developed based work distinguished based free based human development framed attempt respond problem evil light scientific development darwin theory evolution alternative traditionally accepted rejecting idea humans created perfectly fell away perfection instead argued humans process creation interpreted fall man described book genesis mythological description current state humans notion stage creation supported belief second stage created likeness god progress argued created image god means potential knowledge relationship god fulfilled creation likeness god complete humanity currently exists image god developed spiritual maturity proposed human morality developed experience evil argued possible humans know god choose free acknowledges suffering serve purpose instead damages individual appealing concept mystery argues suffering beneficial humans impossible humans develop compassion sympathy know suffering certainly benefit element mystery suffering effect people suffer benefit allows feelings compassion sympathy emerge value placed free result belief necessary genuine love believed love freely chosen genuinely loving god argued created humans free held possible god create beings freely choose good argued genuine relationship requires possibility rejection notion humans existing distance god influenced ensure free choice belief god argued world pain suffering prevent moral development world fixed structure structure subject divine intervention preventing humans coming harm argued leave humans unable help harm allowing moral choices preventing moral development nature required propose humans fully morally developed proposed theory arguing humans eventually reach heaven believed benefit purpose eternal hell render moral development eternal suffering hell explained terms human development rejected despite reject existence hell outright living morally life irrelevant argued hell exists mythological concept warning importance life british philosopher proposed version based view free view free actions caused outside agent argued order people free moral decisions aware consequences decisions knowledge consequences based experience rejected idea god knowledge arguing humans question reliability argued humans hand experience natural evil order understand consequences moral evil god humans moral free allow human suffering conceived hell separation god rejecting notion eternal physical punishment argued people chosen reject god lives continue death reception process theology development process theology presented challenge doctrine proposes god suggests power restricted unable prevent certain evil events occurring process theology accepts god indirect responsibility evil maintains power bring good introduction process theology argued suffering bring good suffering valuable harm good process theologian contested utility soul making argued god pain ends griffin regarded immoral phillips philosopher phillips published problem evil problem god presenting challenge phillips maintained work humans incapable fully understanding god presented understanding moral diversity human existence reference suffering holocaust rejected presents suffering instrumental arguing suffering justified regardless good comes russian novelist presented similar argument novel brothers final argument given nature work novel character presents account incredible cruelty innocent people children brother following asks brother choose architect eternal happiness mankind come existence torture innocent child necessary evil eternal happiness come existence consent architect conditions tell honestly wouldn agree said quietly work nature states love christ showed people people final stance novel good face evil beauty save world writing internet encyclopedia philosophy rejected unsatisfactory argued magnitude suffering experienced people excessive supporting view suffering endured terminal illnesses moral development illnesses fall seemingly immoral need development challenged suffering animals young children instances suffering serve useful purpose lead moral development finally questioned current universe best possible world moral development humans citing examples die young experience great pain learn people suffer little learn suggested world suited human development french theologian criticised theory argued free vital receive salvation humans choose reject god attempt address issue argued free action reflects character person humans created bias choose salvation proposed accept level going way
Irenaean theodicy