Soul Theory

• Soul-making = theory evil had to exist so humans can develop their souls by living and becoming good, moral people.
• AUGUSTINE’S SOUL-DECIDING THEODICY:

  • Believed all humans created Perfect and given free will, it use that to turn away from God and choose sin.
  • God foretold the fall + sent Jesus = humanity reconciled with God.
• AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY:

  • Theodicy believes God created perfect world and humans are the cause of evil - An early Christian thinker.
• AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY:

  • Believes evil doesn’t exist they same way hood does, and evil = absence of good. - later in life, he be we can’t understand God‘ s mind and what may appear evil may not be at all (humans can’t judge God).
• IRENAEUS’ SOUL-MAKING THEODICY:

  • Believes God doesn’t prevent evil as this would interfere with free-will (soul-making).
• IRENAEUS’ THEODICY:

  • Believe God didn’t create a perfect world = chance to grow and develop ourselves ( soul-making process into children of God) - free to choose to accept God - suggested humans are born in God’s image, but need to develop into his likeness during our lives.
• JOHN HICK’S ‘VALE OF SOUL-MAKING’:

  • Agreed with St Irenaeus - humans are made in God’s image but develop into his likeness (Room for spiritual growth).
• JOHN HICK’ THEODICY:

  • Suffering allows spiritual growth - hardship and life, develop virtues = more meaningful than graced by God.
• JOHN HICK’S THEODICY:

  • Believes if evils like cancer and murder didn’t exist = wouldn’t have means to develop ourselves - believes soul-making is a response to evil, if it didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to develop and perfect ourselves spiritually.
• JOHN HICKS’ THEODICY:

  • Believes we may never truly understand God’s plan - some suffering we may never understand or rationalise, meaning can’t ever truly understand God’s reasoning or plan - process of soul-making involves struggle to find religious faith.
• Some believe God allows evil as suffering is necessary to develop / complete their moral souls (soul-making).
• Need to learn the concept of morality and develop the proper virtues - suffering is essential for us to learn about morality + virtue.
• IRENAEUS’ THEODICY:

  • St Irenaeus = father of the early Christian Church believing humans have to grow to become spiritually perfect and moral.
  • Argued God doesn’t intend evil to provide the only opportunity for spiritual growth, a person could obtain spiritual perfection by obeying God’s laws.
• AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY:

  Suggested three reasons for evil:

  • Humans to appreciate good.
  • In his document on faith, hope and love called ‘The Enchiridion‘ the definition of evil is ‘privation of good.’ Meaning evil = absence of good, through poor choice, we cause privation of good.
  • Evil makes us better people.