THEODICY AND RATIONALIZATION

Abstract

Summary The problem of theodicy may be dealt with in many different ways. Contemporary theologians, for instance, especially put great emphasis upon God's compassion with suffering mankind, whilst rejecting such classical views that account for evil as a divine punishment for sin or as ultimately serving a good purpose. With regard to these different theological answers the question is being raised: Is the theological answer to the problem of evil provided by modern theology also a more rational answer? That is to say, does this modern answer fit in with man's modern understanding of the world? In order to answer these questions properly, a standard of rationality applicable to theodicy has been developed. According to this standard of rationality, a rational, theological answer to the problem of evil must exhibit two features. It, first of all, has to reconcile both God's goodness and omnipotence with the existence of evil without inner contradictions. And second, within such a rational, theological answ...