John Hick

• John Hick agreed with Irenaeus
• Humans made for a relationship with God
• God wants humans to grow and develop
• The human race will respond ultimately therefore this world is a place of soul-making
• Everyone must have free will therefore humans have an epistemic distance from God
• The world must contain a full range of natural and moral evil
• Weaknesses 


  • Not an adequate explanation for animal suffering
  • Quality + quantity of evil = too much
  • Many don't believe in Heaven
  • Universal salvation does not seem fair/justified
  • Doesn't fit with the Christian view that Heaven is gained through atonement and Jesus' death
• Strengths

  • Fairer than Augustine - fits with a loving God
  • Factors in scientific thought (modern)
  • Greatest good comes out of a response to suffering (one can lead to the other)
  • Rewarded in the end with Heaven - suffering worthwhile