1. God & evil: general introduction
The problem
Some jargon
Theodicy
Two kinds of evil - natural & moral
Five kinds of theodicies (suggested by David Stewart, ed., Exploring the Philosophy of Religion, 5th ed (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2001) )
1. Evil is an illusion
Included as part of Augustine’s theory of evil
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2. God & evil: general introduction
2. A limited God
Some versions of Hinduism
Manicheanism (Mani, Persian, c )
Process philosophy?
3. Karma theories
Hinduism, Jainism, & Buddhism
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3. God & evil: general introduction
Buddhism (6th century BC)
Desires, thirsts, attachments cause suffering
Can eliminate suffering by eliminated thirsts thirsts not eliminated in one life continue in next rebirth (karma) over many rebirths may eliminate suffering
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4. God & evil: general introduction - 4
Temple in the Air
ca. 5th century AD
Mt. Heng-shan
China
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5. God & evil: general introduction - 5

6. God & evil: general introduction - 6
Buddha with monks
Temple in the Air
Mt. Heng-shan, China
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7. God & evil: general introduction
4. Harmony theodicies
Stoicism, c.300 B.C. to 200s A.D.
There are elements of this in Augustine’s theodicy
5. Free-will theodicy
This is the heart of Augustine’s theodicy ( )
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