The Vale of soul Making

Cards (15)

  • Scholars
    Irenaeus (C1st), Hick and D.Z Phillips (Both C20th)
  • Human beings are always developing towards perfection, we were made imperfectly. Evil has a good purpose because through encountering it humanity can develop. God is omni-benevolent, it is loving to allow humanity to perform evil acts. He is justified creating the world this way, and has a good plan for all of humanity
  • Human goodness is more valuable to God when humans choose to do it. The world is known as the "Vale of Soul-making" as it becomes the place where humans develop their souls and become better over time
  • They are created in the image of God, and have potential to be in the likeness of God in the future by encountering evil. God is at an epistemic distance (Hick and Iraneus) from the world, this ensures that people have freedom when choosing to follow him, this allows them to fully morally develop. At the end of our lives, we will get the chance to go to heaven because God is omnibenevolent.
  • Strengths of the Vale of Soul Making
    The emphasis on human development falls in line with the theory of evolution. This is important as it gives academic credibility, as evolution is now seen as a scientific fact
  • Strengths of the Vale of Soul Making
    Support Christian tradition by relying on Irenaeus
  • Strengths of the Vale of Soul Making
    Rationally accounts for all types of evil whilst upholding the 3 O's of the God of classical theism
  • Strengths of the Vale of Soul Making
    Epistemic distance explains why God does not interfere in human suffering
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    Evidential problem remains, does there really need to be so much evil? Surely we could learn from less? Does not explain why suffering appears to be distributed so inconsistently - for example developing world vs developed world
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    The suffering of some seems to benefit the development of others: Does God have favourites?
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    It is fair that everyone eventually goes to heaven?
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    D.Z Phillips - it would never be justifiable to hurt someone in order to help them
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    Mary Midgely: By suggesting that God is ultimately responsible for allowing evil then it does not highlight sufficiently our responsibility for moral evil
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    Christians are concerned that Hick takes away from the idea that Jesus is saviour. Instead he becomes a teacher for how to live morally
  • Weaknesses of the Vale of Soul Making
    Contradicts both the Bible and the Qur'an