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WorksheetsThe Problem of Evil
Total questions: 65
Worksheet time: 33mins
What is the logical problem of evil?
The belief that evil makes the existence of God improbable.
The belief that evil makes the existence of God impossible.
The belief that evil is a necessary part of the world.
The belief that evil and suffering are unrelated to the existence of God.
Which philosopher is NOT associated with the logical problem of evil?
Epicurus
David Hume
J.L. Mackie
Immanuel Kant
What is the inconsistent triad?
God is all-knowing, God is all-powerful, and God is all-loving.
God is all-powerful, God is all-loving, and evil exists.
God is all-knowing, evil exists, and God is all-loving.
God is all-powerful, evil exists, and God is all-knowing.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the God of classical theism?
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnibenevolent
Omnishambles
According to the logical problem of evil, why is the existence of God and evil considered logically inconsistent?
Because God cannot be all-knowing and all-powerful at the same time.
Because an all-powerful, all-loving God would not allow evil to exist.
Because evil is necessary for free will.
Because God does not intervene in the world.
What does the term ‘ex-nihilo’ mean in the context of the logical problem of evil?
Creation out of nothing
Creation out of chaos
Creation out of pre-existing materials
Creation out of divine essence
Which attribute of God suggests that He would wish to end all evil and suffering?
Omnipotence
Omniscience
Omnibenevolence
Omnipresence
Who argued that ‘A wholly good being eliminates evil as far as it can’?
Epicurus
David Hume
J.L. Mackie
Peter Vardy
What additional attribute does Peter Vardy suggest should be considered in the problem of evil?
Omnipresence
Omniscience
Omnipotence
Omnibenevolence
What is the definition of moral evil?
Natural disasters causing suffering
Intentional human actions or inactions causing suffering
Suffering caused by diseases
The presence of evil in the natural world
Which of the following is an example of natural evil?
Theft
Earthquake
Lying
Neglecting a child
In the story of Job, what is one explanation given for his suffering?
Job’s lack of faith
Suffering is a test from God
Job’s wealth and good fortune
Job’s friends’ sins
What does the term ‘original sin’ refer to in Christianity?
The first natural disaster
The disobedience of Adam and Eve
The creation of the world
The suffering of Jesus
What does the story of Job ultimately teach about suffering?
Suffering is always a punishment for sin
Humans can fully understand God’s plan
Suffering is part of God’s plan beyond human understanding
Suffering is caused by natural disasters
How does the suffering of Jesus relate to the problem of evil in Christianity?
It shows that God does not care about human suffering
It demonstrates that God has suffered alongside humanity
It proves that suffering is always a test from God
It indicates that suffering is a result of original sin
What is the definition of theodicy?
The belief that evil does not exist
An argument that attempts to show how the existence of evil and God’s attributes are compatible
The view that humans cannot make moral choices
The belief that God is not omnipotent
What does the free will defence argue?
Evil is necessary for good to exist
Free will justifies the existence of evil
God created evil intentionally
Evil is an illusion
According to the free will defence, why is free will important?
It makes humans like robots
It eliminates the possibility of evil
It ensures that humans always choose good
It allows humans to make genuine moral choices
What is one common criticism of the free will defence?
It does not account for moral evil
It suggests that God is not omnipotent
It argues that humans do not have free will
It fails to explain the existence of natural evil
Who used Kierkegaard's parable of the king and the peasant girl to support the free will defence?
Richard Swinburne
J L Mackie
Peter Vardy
William Rowe
What does Richard Swinburne argue about God’s intervention in the world?
God’s intervention would compromise human freedom
God should always intervene to prevent evil
God does not care about human suffering
God’s intervention is necessary for free will
What is a major criticism of the free will defence by J L Mackie?
Free will does not entail the potential for evil
God could have created beings who always choose good
Free will is not important for moral choices
Evil is not a real concept
What does the free will defence suggest about the relationship between humans and God?
It is based on fear
It is predetermined by God
It is irrelevant to the existence of evil
It must be genuine and freely chosen
What is the ultimate goal of the free will defence?
To prove that evil does not exist
To justify the existence of evil in a world created by God
To show that humans do not have free will
To argue that God is not omnipotent
What does the term ‘ex nihilo’ mean?
Out of chaos
Out of nothing
Out of darkness
Out of light
According to Augustine, what is ‘privatio boni’?
The absence of good
The presence of evil
The presence of good
The absence of evil
What is the ‘principle of plenitude’ as described by Augustine?
The idea that the universe is filled with only perfect beings
The belief that evil is a necessary part of creation
The notion that only humans and angels exist in the universe
The concept that a variety of beings, from highest to lowest, makes a richer universe
How does Augustine describe the nature of evil?
As an independent force
As a creation of God
As a privation or lack of good
As a necessary part of the universe
What role does Satan play in Augustine’s theodicy?
He is a wholly evil being
He is a fallen angel who used his free will to corrupt others
He is a creation of God to test humans
He is an independent demonic power
According to Augustine, what is the consequence of the Fall of Man?
Humans became immortal
The introduction of death and the perpetuation of natural and moral evil
The creation of a perfect world
The elimination of free will
What is one strength of the Augustinian Theodicy?
It suggests that Satan is an independent power
It aligns well with the Bible and avoids compromising God’s omnipotence
It denies the existence of free will
It claims that evil is a positive force in the world
What is a major criticism of the Augustinian Theodicy?
It fails to account for the existence of free will
It suggests that God is not omnipotent
It is logically contradictory to claim that a perfect world went wrong
It denies the existence of natural evil
How does Augustine’s theodicy explain the existence of moral and natural evil?
As a consequence of human and angelic free will and sin
As a result of God’s direct creation
As an illusion
As a necessary part of a perfect world
What is the central theme of the Irenaean theodicy?
Predestination
Soul making
Divine punishment
Eternal damnation
According to John Hick, why did God create humans imperfect?
To test their loyalty
To punish them for original sin
To allow them to complete the process of creation themselves
To ensure they would always obey Him
What does the term ‘epistemic distance’ refer to in Hick’s theodicy?
The physical distance between God and humans, i.e. God is far away
The emotional distance between God and humans, i.e. God experiences emotions humans cannot
The moral distance between God and humans, i.e. God is better than humans
The knowledge gap between God and humans, i.e. humans don't know for certain that God exists so are truly free
Why does Hick argue that natural evil is necessary?
To punish humans for their sins
To create a paradise on Earth
To provide opportunities for moral growth and development
To demonstrate God’s power
What is the purpose of ‘soul making’ according to Hick?
To develop virtues through overcoming challenges
To ensure humans live without suffering
To eliminate all forms of evil
To guarantee eternal life for all
How does Hick describe God’s role in relation to human development?
As a distant observer
As a strict judge
As a parent guiding His children
As an indifferent creator
What does Hick mean by the ‘vale of soul making’?
A place where souls are punished
A process where souls develop through facing challenges
A state of eternal bliss
A realm where souls are created perfect
Why does Hick believe that God’s presence must be hidden (epistemic distance)?
To prevent humans from knowing His power
To allow humans to freely choose to seek God
To punish humans for their sins
To test human loyalty
What is the significance of the afterlife in Hick’s theodicy?
It is irrelevant to the process of soul making
It provides a place for eternal punishment
It allows the continuation of soul making after death
It guarantees immediate perfection for all souls
What is a key strength of Hick’s theodicy according to Peter Vardy?
It eliminates the need for free will
It supports the idea that goodness developed by free choice is better than programmed reliability
It suggests that God forces humans to love Him
It denies the existence of natural evil
What analogy does Peter Vardy use to support Hick’s argument by suggesting that goodness developed by free choice is better than programmed reliability
The parable of the prodigal son (Jesus, New Testament)
The story of Job (Old Testament)
The king and the peasant girl (Kierkegaard)
The tale of the good Samaritan (Jesus, New Testament)
What does Hick argue is necessary for human development?
A world with natural and moral evil
A perfect world without suffering
Immediate divine intervention in all human affairs
Predetermined human actions
What is a major criticism of Hick’s theodicy regarding the extent of suffering?
It justifies all forms of suffering equally
It denies the existence of suffering
It suggests that suffering is always beneficial
It fails to justify the excessive and severe suffering in the world
How does Hick respond to the criticism about the unfair distribution of suffering?
He denies that suffering is inconsistent
He argues that suffering must be inconsistent to create an environment for soul-making
He claims that everyone suffers equally
He suggests that suffering is irrelevant to soul-making
Why do some religious people object to Hick’s view of universal salvation?
It aligns too closely with religious texts
It contradicts religious texts that promise punishment for bad people
It suggests that only a few will be saved
It denies the existence of Heaven
What is the main assertion of Process Theodicy regarding God’s nature?
God is omnipotent and omniscient
God created the universe ex nihilo
God is transcendent and separate from the universe
God is not omnipotent but is good
According to Process Thought, how did God create the universe?
By bringing order out of pre-existing chaos
Out of nothing (ex nihilo)
By creating it in six days
By using divine magic
What is the view of panentheism in Process Theology?
God is separate from the universe
God is the universe itself
The universe is ‘in’ God
God does not exist
How does Process Thought describe God’s power?
Coercive and absolute
Persuasive and limited
Non-existent
Unlimited and controlling
What is the role of natural laws in Process Thought?
They are created and controlled by God
They do not exist
They are irrelevant to the existence of evil
They are independent and limit God’s power
Why does Process Thought argue that God cannot prevent all evils?
God chooses not to intervene
God does not care about human suffering
God is bound by natural laws and cannot override them
God is testing human faith
What is a key criticism of Process Theodicy?
It denies the existence of evil
It suggests that God is responsible for starting a process He cannot control
It claims that God is omnipotent
It eliminates the need for free will
How does Process Thought view the relationship between God and the universe?
God is a distant observer
God is an integral part of the universe and suffers alongside it
God is indifferent to the universe
God controls every aspect of the universe
Why does Process Thought argue that God took the risk of creating the universe?
Because the potential for good outweighs the risk of evil
To maximise human pleasure
To demonstrate His power
To ensure that humans would always obey Him
What is the evidential problem of evil?
The logical impossibility of God’s existence
The argument that the amount of suffering makes it improbable that God exists
The belief that evil does not exist
The idea that God created evil intentionally
What type of evil does William Rowe focus on in his argument?
Moral evil only
Natural evil only
Intense human and animal suffering
Minor inconveniences
What is the ‘Bambi case’ used to illustrate?
Horrendous evil
Gratuitous evil
Moral evil
Logical evil
In the ‘Bambi case’, what happens to the fawn?
It is saved by a forest ranger
It escapes the fire unharmed
It is rescued by other animals
It is trapped, horribly burned, and suffers for days before dying
What is the ‘Sue case’ an example of?
Gratuitous evil
Natural evil
Horrendous evil
Logical evil
What conclusion does Rowe draw from the existence of intense and widespread suffering?
God is testing human faith
God is not omnipotent
It is improbable that an all-powerful, all-loving God exists
Suffering is an illusion
According to Rowe, why is the suffering of the fawn in the ‘Bambi case’ considered pointless?
It leads to a greater good
It prevents a worse evil
It serves no apparent purpose and could have been prevented
It is necessary for the balance of nature
How does Rowe’s argument challenge the existence of the God of classical theism?
By denying the existence of free will
By suggesting that God created evil intentionally
By arguing that the evidence of unnecessary suffering makes God’s existence improbable
By claiming that God is indifferent to human suffering
