Photo from Ernest Hepnar/Air Canada
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
Edited from PhD
John S. Feinberg Sovereignty Theodicy/Defence: Eight Ways God Could Eliminate Evil (PhD Edit)
Twitter version I
Sixth of eight ways God could eliminate evil, Feinberg notes that God could only allow people to will good things and not bad things. Feinberg (1994: 133).
Twitter version II
Feinberg then points out that the restrictions on human freedom would, once again, work against God’s plan. Feinberg (1994: 133).
Twitter version III
According to Mackie, God could have formed some type of beings that obeyed him without committing any wrong actions. Mackie (1955)(1996: 250-251).
Twitter version IV
Phillips noted God could have limited human freedom at certain key points to avoid horrendous evil. Phillips (2005: 106).
May 26, 2021
By the way, I reason God does limit human freedoms at points. Practically, none of us always gets our way. Thank you, Lord.
Twitter version V
It is possible God understands the imperfect human beings that presently exist are more valuable creations than the hypothetical ones that would have never rebelled against him. Feinberg (1994: 131).
Twitter version VI
The development and ultimate restoration of a number of these imperfect human beings may be worth the problem of evil in God’s estimation. Feinberg (1994: 131).
Key from PhD
My theory, which provided a significant level of PhD thesis originality, is that human beings in Christ with the use of compatibilism will eventually have greater spiritual maturity than Adam and Eve did prior to a fall from God. Theologically, God ultimately prefers human beings as they will be in the culminated Kingdom, over persons in a different scenario that would have never freely chosen to disobey God. Perhaps these actual people, trusting in the Gospel work of Jesus Christ will have greater spiritual maturity having experienced problems of evil, suffering, death, and the applied atoning and resurrection work (the resurrection work, post-mortem), completed in Jesus Christ.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.
FLEW, ANTONY (1955) ‘Divine Omnipotence and Human Freedom’, in Antony Flew and A. MacIntrye (eds.), New Essays in Philosophical Theology, London, SCM, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
FLEW, ANTONY (1955) ‘Theology and Falsification’, in Antony Flew and A. MacIntrye (eds.), New Essays in Philosophical Theology, London, SCM, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
FLEW, ANTONY (1983)(1996) ‘The Falsification Challenge’, in Antony Flew and A. MacIntrye (eds.), New Essays in Philosophical Theology, in Michael Peterson, William Hasker, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger (eds.), Philosophy of Religion, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
FLEW, ANTONY, R.M. HARE, AND BASIL MITCHELL (1996) ‘The Debate on the Rationality of Religious Belief’, in L.P. Pojman (ed.), Philosophy, The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.
FLEW, ANTONY AND A.MACINTRYE (1999) ‘Philosophy of Religion’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.
MACKIE, J.L. (1955)(1996) ‘Evil and Omnipotence’, in Mind, in Michael Peterson, William Hasker, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger (eds.), Philosophy of Religion, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
MACKIE, J.L. (1971)(1977)(2002) ‘Evil and Omnipotence’, in The Philosophy of Religion, in Alvin C. Plantinga, God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1982) The Nature of Necessity, Oxford, Clarendon Press.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (2000) Warranted Christian Belief, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
