Theodicy

Theodicy refers to an attempt to resolve evident problem of evil in the world through reconciling God’s characteristics of being all loving, powerful and all knowing with the happening of evil. Theodicy is a response to the presence of evil and justifying the existence of God in light of occurrence in acts evil in the world. The evidential problem of evil argues that evil constitute evidence against God existence. The evidential problem believes that all evil in the world are a result of God not existing. Theodicy counters by justifying the existence of God in the occurrence of evil in the world. There are different varieties of theodicies in the world; they are Augustinian theodicy and irenaean theodicy. The Augustinian theodicy holds that evil does not exist, but occurs because of the free will of human beings and angels. The irenaean theodicy holds that human suffering exists so that a human can develop. (James, 2008)

In the today world, abortion is an evil which exists among the people in the society. We view abortion as immoral because it is killing a fetus which is like killing a human being. The bible condemns killing in one of its commandments, where the bible say “you shall not kill”. Abortion practice is in many countries in the world; some countries have laws which make abortion legal in the country. Women, young girls in schools abort their babies’ because of many reasons, which the society considers evil in the society.

Christian in the world condemns abortion as an evil and suggests harsh consequences should be taken against those who practice it. Abortion in the world is a result of mothers not prepared to raise a child some teenagers consider carrying a child as shame because of they are of young age. Although, abortion raises the question as to whether it is right or wrong to do it. It creates a dilemma in the world. Considering a mother in hospital whose only option is to abort to save her life what will she do? Others argue that it is the right of the mothers to decide whether not to abort or abort. They do not see any evil in doing an abortion because we people have the freedom in the choosing of what is right or wrong.

Solving this evil of abortion some governments have come up with strict laws prohibiting abortion in the country. Mothers who abort go against the bible by murdering a child; they do not value the essence of life. If abortion was legal then killing, will be legal in the world thus one considers abortion as real evil in the society.

Theodicy leaves one with a problem as we live; we ask ourselves many questions for the existence of God. If God is ever presence will allow evil to take place in the world yet evil is not acceptable. If God exists abortion will be in the world, God is all knowing and powerful, and being powerful God will not allow abortion to take place in the world. God controls everyone in the world. Abortion is all about killing which is evil, and Gods does not want evil people, theodicy relevance is in question as to the existence of God while all the evil is happening.

God will want to eliminate all evils in the world if He is powerful, all present, and all knowing yet we still see evil in the world. This problem of theodicy makes Gods power in question as to whether God actually exists. If, God is good and not powerful and knowing then God has no power to intervene in cases where evil takes place in society. The next problem with theodicy is that God may be viewed by the pope as mean as God allows evil to take place yet He has the power to eliminate evil. We can end up concluding that God is powerful, all knowing and powerful but with no control of the universe. This means God cannot control abortion from taking place in the world; it shows that theodicy has no basis of arguing the existence of God who has the entire characteristic with the occurrence of evil. People have the freedom to choose what to do without anyone controlling them. (James, 2008)

Theodicy makes one belief that evil is not real in the world because God existence will not allow evil to exist. If, God is lovely and good there will; be no evil in the world as a lovely God will not allow evil to His people because being lovely means Gods protects His people from evil doings.

Theodicy makes one assume God is a personal being like a human being. It makes us assume God interacts, and at some point, He has interacted with the world. We see a problem of theodicy with the amount of evil that exists in the world. If God actually exists then if nay any there will be few problems in the world, the number of evil in the world is too much to justify that God exists. God existence is into question thus rendering as to whether theodicy is real or just an assumption.

Theodicy is more as central to monotheistic religion because monotheistic religion belief in the existence of one God. Theodicy also, belief in the existence of God thus regarding it as monotheistic religion is right. Monotheistic religion belief in one God existence that is all presents, all knowing, and all powerful which are the basis of theodicy in the existence of one God who has all the attributed monotheistic religion state. Unlike polytheistic religion belief in the existence of many gods charged with different roles thus in cannot relate with theodicy. For instance, in the Buddhism religion which is polytheistic in nature belief, there is a god of rain, a god of the fertility, god of blessing and many others. One act to one god, which may be ritualistic, can be an evil to the other god. Monotheistic religion God has all attributes the same as that of theodicy which belief in one powerful God thus, theodicy is more centre to monotheistic religion. (James, 2008)

Theodicy is successful in resolving the existence of God in the world. Though, it does not clearly tell one why evil still exists in the world if God does exist. Theodicy makes one make many assumptions on the nature of God and His ability and powers becomes in question, in people mind, theodicy helps Christian to understand the presence of evil in the world and maintain the nature of God.