The Problem of Evil in the Face of a Benevolent God: Intricacies of Philosophico-Theological Theodicy

Abstract

This article provides both overview and insights, elucidating and evaluating the philosophical and theological arguments on the problem of evil in various contexts and indexes, as well as indications and manifestations. Drawing contemplation from classical and contemporary collection of readings that adequately represent recent and ongoing research and discourses on the subject matter, comprehensive and cogent contemporaneous paradigmatically philosophical arguments, embedded in theological beliefs and religious studies are invaluably explored. Suffering that is not accompanied by any restorative reward, is one of our world's most perturbing and apparent inconsistencies. It is intensely more troublesome for anyone who believes that the world was created by a supremely morally good, infinitely knowledgeable, and absolutely powerful God. Consequently, this article analytically assesses whether the amount of seemingly pointless pains and sufferings in the world count against the rationale to believe in God, and the rationality to continue to believe in God, a supreme being, who is highly held to be all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good. This question engages the hearts and minds of the broader religious, philosophical, and theological intellectual community. In practical procedure terms, this article contextualises the fundamental question(s) associated with the perennial problem of evil, by exploring currently scholarly interests in the evolution of religious philosophy and dynamism of analytic philosophy, in addressing the recurring problem of evil. In the light of evil being ubiquitous, this article enthusiastically examines the concept of theodicy – the attempt to reconcile divine perfection with the existence of evil, through the lens of philosophico-theological reflection.