Augustine vs Irenaeus' Theodicy

Created by: ekenny5
Created on: 14-01-22 15:15


	Augustine vs Irenaeus' Theodicy
	Similarities everything is created perfectly by God God gave humans free will, we choose to accept or reject him accept the reality of evil and suffering God is all loving and all powerful, and evil is intentional belief in the afterlife is necessary humans created moral evil through using free will to reject God attempt to clear God of the responsibility of evil	Differences Augustine - the Fall created original sin due to abuse of free will, and humans are therefore sinful Irenaeus - we are made in God's image, but have to develop into his likeness - we do this by making mistakes and abusing free will, but learning through this Augustine - natural evil is a punishment for moral evil - all evil is either sin or punishment for sin Augustine - requires an acceptance a literal interpretation of the Bible, and goes against modern thinking of evolution and reproduction Irenaeus - evil and suffering allows us to grow and develop to become more God-like. Natural evil is allowed by God to allow us to develop Augustine - soul deciding. Irenaeus - soul making Augustine - we will be judged for our actions. John Hick - our souls continue to develop in the next life, where we will all achieve salvation
	Overall comparison John Hick's development of the Irenaeus' Theodicy makes it more acceptable in the modern world, as it does not require literal interpretation of the Bible and is not discredited by modern science. They both aim for the same goal, of explaining the existence of evil in a world created by an all powerful and all loving God, but do not fully achieve this. How does a just God allow for the punishment of all humankind for the mistake of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and how can the fact that some suffer far more than others allow for development of ones soul. Sometimes we are punished for others actions - global warming effects small communities in certain areas much more than the large companies and corporations that are at fault for the problem. Neither fully explain it, though do give convincing arguments, Irenaeus and Hick more than Augustine. Epicurus' inconsistent triad is still valid for an objection to God, even with the theodicies.

Augustine vs Irenaeus' Theodicy

Similarities

everything is created perfectly by God
God gave humans free will, we choose to accept or reject him
accept the reality of evil and suffering
God is all loving and all powerful, and evil is intentional
belief in the afterlife is necessary
humans created moral evil through using free will to reject God
attempt to clear God of the responsibility of evil

Differences

Augustine - the Fall created original sin due to abuse of free will, and humans are therefore sinful
Irenaeus - we are made in God's image, but have to develop into his likeness - we do this by making mistakes and abusing free will, but learning through this
Augustine - natural evil is a punishment for moral evil - all evil is either sin or punishment for sin
Augustine - requires an acceptance a literal interpretation of the Bible, and goes against modern thinking of evolution and reproduction
Irenaeus - evil and suffering allows us to grow and develop to become more God-like. Natural evil is allowed by God to allow us to develop
Augustine - soul deciding. Irenaeus - soul making
Augustine - we will be judged for our actions. John Hick - our souls continue to develop in the next life, where we will all achieve salvation

Overall comparison

John Hick's development of the Irenaeus' Theodicy makes it more acceptable in the modern world, as it does not require literal interpretation of the Bible and is not discredited by modern science. They both aim for the same goal, of explaining the existence of evil in a world created by an all powerful and all loving God, but do not fully achieve this. How does a just God allow for the punishment of all humankind for the mistake of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and how can the fact that some suffer far more than others allow for development of ones soul. Sometimes we are punished for others actions - global warming effects small communities in certain areas much more than the large companies and corporations that are at fault for the problem. Neither fully explain it, though do give convincing arguments, Irenaeus and Hick more than Augustine. Epicurus' inconsistent triad is still valid for an objection to God, even with the theodicies.

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Augustine vs Irenaeus' Theodicy