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Religious Studies & Theology vocabulary · Philosophy of Religion

Problem of evil

Meaning in religious studies & theology, with examples

phraseCommon term

In religious studies & theology, problem of evil means: The philosophical and theological question of how an all-powerful, all-knowing and perfectly good God can allow evil and suffering to exist.

In Turkish: kötülük problemi, kötülük sorunu

How it is used

Philosophers distinguish the logical problem of evil (God and evil cannot both exist) from the evidential problem (evil makes God's existence unlikely). They also separate moral evil, caused by humans, from natural evil, such as earthquakes. Responses include the free will defence and various theodicies.

Example sentences

  1. The problem of evil is often seen as the strongest objection to theism.

  2. Philosophers distinguish a logical and an evidential version of the problem of evil.

Common collocations

  • the logical problem of evil
  • the evidential problem of evil
  • respond to the problem of evil
  • natural evil
  • theodicyAn attempt to explain why a good and all-powerful God allows evil and suffering, defending God's justice; the term was coined by Leibniz in 1710.
  • theismBelief in a personal God who created the world and remains active in it; in philosophy of religion, the view that such a God exists.
  • atheismThe absence of belief in God or gods, or the explicit view that no God or gods exist.
  • sinAn act, thought or failure to act that a religious tradition regards as breaking God's law or going against God's will.

More terms: Philosophy of Religion

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