Theodicy
Understand the Nature of Omnibenevolence, Omniscience and Omnipotence
Times of great distress can bring even those of great faith to wonder why bad things happen to good people. How could such tragedy happen in the presence of a loving god? The study of theodicy attempts to answer such questions.
Reconciling the existence of evil in the world with belief in an all-powerful, all-loving God is a philosophical exercise practiced for millennia by priests and thinkers. Gottfried Leibniz first named the practice in a 1710 treatise that argued mankind must accept a perfect God in a fallen world. Over time in Catholic thought, the term has become synonymous with rational attempts to explain our knowledge of God.
Leibniz took as his position that since God chose our world, we are living in the best of all possible worlds. This fundamentally optimistic position is criticized by those who believe that there is too much suffering for a bright outlook, and those who state that this cannot be the best world since we can conceive of other better outcomes.
- The Iranian Theodicy
Think about theodicy the next time you talk about theology, as there is not one without the other in any religion.
Read Full Article - Babylonian Theodicy
Learn more about the Babylonian Theodicy, an ancient poem that attempts to answer questions of divine intent, and the limits of divine goodness and justice.
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