Good & Evil

• Evil


  Not a substance, but a 'privation of good'
• God's creation


  Perfect world, lacking nothing in goodness
• Original sin


  Leads to lack of goodness in the world
• Catholic teaching on origins of evil developed by St Augustine
• Protestant teaching on origins of evil


  • Builds on Catholic teaching that humanity is at odds with God, each other, and the earth
  • Follows St Paul's teaching that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
  • Sees evil and suffering as necessary for human nature to mature
• The idea of original sin is not developed in Judaism
• Yetzer Ha'ra


  The evil impulse or will, humans have a tendency to sin
• Psalm 51:5: ''Remember, I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception''
• God's love


  God is a loving God, does not allow his people to suffer because he does not love us
• Free will


  God has given us free will so that we may do good but sometimes we do what is evil
• God gave his Son Jesus so that...
• Protestant teaching on meaning of suffering


  • Builds on Catholic teaching that humanity is at odds with God, each other, and the earth
  • Follows St Paul's teaching that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
  • Sees evil and suffering as necessary for human nature to mature
• God has created us and loved us
• Story of Job


  Reminds us of the importance of faith in God - God loves his creation even though we may suffer
• Jesus' teachings


  • Jesus taught that we should 'love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbour as yourself'
  • Jesus summarised the Ten Commandments in the two commandments
  • In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus also taught...
• Most Christians believe that we should follow Jesus' teachings although they might have slightly different interpretations, e.g. on divorce
• Non-Catholic Christians believe that the Bible is the main source of authority
• Jews do not view Jesus as a source of moral authority
• Jewish sources of moral authority


  God and God's teaching revealed in the Torah, The Talmud and also through conscience
• Jews would agree with many of the examples and teachings of Jesus about forgiveness and doing things for the right reason but they would believe it is in their own scriptures not because Jesus is doing or saying it
• Catholics believe that the one God is the Trinity
• There are no different Christian teachings on the Trinity
• Jews do not believe in the Trinity
• Jewish view of God

  God is one, judge and merciful
• Incarnation


  The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is God 'incarnate', the 'word made flesh'
• St Paul wrote the Kenosis hymn which reminds us that Jesus, God in flesh' emptied himself of glory and power in order to serve humanity
• There are no different Christian teachings on the Incarnation
• Jews do not believe that Jesus is God incarnate
• Jewish view of God's manifestation

  God shows himself in many ways (Shekinah) and God is creator, judge and lawgiver but there is no human manifestation of God