There are two different forms of the problem of evil: the logical problem of evil and the existential problem of evil. They're very different objections and require different responses.
The logical problem of evil claims that there is a logical contradiction between an all-powerful God and the existence of evil. This challenge is considered solved by many philosophers and theologians. Brett wrote about it here. You can find a good summary here. And an answer by Greg here.
The existential problem of evil is more of a grievance or complaint that God allows evil. It asks why a loving God would allow evil. It doesn't find anything illogical about evil and God. It asks for a reason. This objection isn't formed as a logical syllogism, as the logical problem is, so the answer doesn't find fault in the deductive reasoning. The answer to the existential problem of evil shows why God could have a sufficient reason to let evil exist, explaining why a loving, good God would allow evil. Another way to answer is to undercut the grounds for the complaint. Greg discusses that here.
So make sure you understand the nature of the objection before answering. There are good answers for either one, you just want to make sure you answer the question being asked.
It is more precise to say that there can be but W1 given the End which Power Wills to create. W2, W3, W4, and so forth are impossible, and, in fact, are nonsense. When that Triune God Who Is-Love creates something other than His-Own-Image, the choices are infinite. W to infinity. When that same Person makes a declaration that He Wills to create a Real-Self in the Image of Him-Self there is but This-Image of Power’s stated Will. The Divine Choice in such a scenario cannot be more than, “W1 or No-World”. It cannot be otherwise. There is then this: Is it better to create or not to create. Is there a Morally Sufficient Reason to move forward. “Ultimate Reality” Is-Love (God) and as such, the Highest Ethic, the Final Good, is and End with a world in His-Image. It is Good to create “that”, in fact, we may even say, given what God-Is, that such a Move on His part is inevitable and could not be otherwise. I do not here try to describe Time. When we find those Rigid-Constraints (bound by nature) and those Actual-Agencies (freedom among selves) within the Triune we find that “If” creation (of His-Image) “Then” Bound/Free. Power cannot do otherwise. Like the Triune, if we insist it is all One, or, if we insist it is all Three, we are perfectly correct, and, perfectly mistaken.
The issue of Love’s Final Good and that of something Immutable comes with the question of: How can Immutable Love create something Immutable in one-step if He Alone is Immutable?
Can the uncreated create the uncreated in one step? It is almost nonsense.
How then will He make Man in His Image finally?
The Uncreated must pour Himself into the Created, must fill up the Created, and, therein, when Word is finally made flesh, something of Revelations 22 may emerge. But such a thing takes a Wedding, so to speak.
The Necessary differences found in Love as observed between Perfect Distincts within the Triune versus between Created-Selves and the Uncreated-Self are very real differences, for reasons vaguely eluded to earlier and which do not concern us here. Perhaps once the Uncreated fills up the Created, and the Seed is Birthed, then those Modes-Of-Love will be [identical]. At best, its blurry.
There are morally sufficient reasons. Love will Beget yet more love. It is said that the Singular will one day be Pleural.
Posted by: scbrownlhrm | August 19, 2012 at 04:52 AM