Absence (or privation) of good and the impulse to seek our own desires and wants
Suffering
Pain or loss which harms humans
Evil is a challenge to religious belief because it challenges both God's characteristics and God's existence
Original Sin
Christian teaching that all humanity is born sinful, a condition or defect in human nature rather than something humans do, inherited from Adam who sinned in the Garden of Eden
All humans are born with original sin and therefore we all have a tendency to misuse our free will and make the wrong choices
The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 shows that when we turn our back on God and His commandments, evil enters the world
Types of evil
Moral evil (caused by humans)
Natural evil (caused by the natural world)
Inconsistent Triad
J.L. Mackie's explanation of the Problem of Evil - either God is not omnibenevolent, God is not omnipotent, or God does not exist
God did not create evil according to St. Augustine
Augustine believed that Adam's disobedience and misuse of free will brought evil into the world
Privation
Absence of goodness
All evil is either sin or the punishment for sin according to Augustine
Seminally present
Present in Adam's semen, so all share in his guilt
St. Irenaeus' view on the origins of evil
God deliberately created an imperfect world so that humans could grow and mature through their struggles
We are perfected by our suffering and so evil has a purpose
God created us in His image, but we must grow into the likeness of God through the use of our free will and improvement
The world is a moral testing ground according to Irenaeus
Suffering
Makes us better people and improves our relationship with God (Augustine and Irenaeus)
All Christians believe in the mystery of the Trinity
Trinity
The belief that God reveals Himself in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
The three persons of the Trinity are all equal and eternal, and they share the same substance/essence/divine nature</b>
Roles of the Trinity
God the Father is creator ex nihilo
God the Son is the Saviour, Redeemer and Judge
God the Holy Spirit is the giver of life who inspired the prophets and writers of the Bible
The term Trinity is not found in the Bible but the idea is
The Trinity is not three Gods, three people or beings, or easy to understand
Augustine's analogy of the Trinity
Love, lover and beloved
All Christians believe in the Incarnation
Incarnation
The belief that God came to earth in human form in the person of Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine
Jesus' death on the cross is an atonement that repairs our relationship with God and pays the price for human sin
Jesus understands the difficulty of suffering and what it means to be human
Jesus enters into suffering, he does not avoid it or explain it - Christ is an example to us of how to face suffering
Salvifici Doloris
The 'Saving Power of Suffering' - Jesus' death on the cross gives meaning to suffering
Jesus
Understands the difficulty of suffering and what it means to be human
Jesus
Enters into suffering, he does not avoid it or explain it
Christ is an example to us of how to face suffering
The Pieta
Mary's left hand is positioned with an open palm: this is a sign Mary is at peace after witnessing her son's crucifixion
Mary is shown supporting the body of adult Jesus on her lap. It is a reminder of Mary holding Jesus as an infant and the love of a mother and many mothers who have lost their own children see the statues as a strange sort of comfort
In supporting Jesus, Mary's right hand does not come in to direct contact with his flesh, but instead is covered with a cloth which then touches his side. This shows the sacredness of Jesus' body
The two figures are beautiful and idealised despite their suffering. This reflects the belief of Catholic ambivalence to suffering: Jesus knows that he has done God's will and reconciled God and humanity
The deep shadow created by the fold of the garment next to Jesus symbolises an open womb, reminding us that the she carried Jesus in her womb, and inviting us to share the pain of her sorrow
The Beatitudes
A series of counter-cultural statements that challenge our view e.g. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted
Jesus says that he has not come to abolish but to fulfil the law
The six antitheses
Teachings where Jesus makes the law more challenging e.g. Anyone who looks at a woman with lust commits adultery in his heart... this is because lust leads to adultery
Jesus is addressing the root causes of sin
Jesus tells people to be a light to the world
Meaning we should be an example and guide to others by following Jesus' teaching