evil & suffering

• What is the problem of 'evil & suffering'?


  God would have known about all the evil and suffering that would come from him creating the universe the way he did. Some Christians therefore wonder why he did not create the universe without this potential for evil and suffering.
• What did Epicurus then conclude?

  that a God who is both omnibenevolent & omnipotent cannot exist.
• How is God's characteristics of 'omnibenevolence' & 'omnipotence' challenged when relating to evil & suffering?

  If God is both omnibenevolent & omnipotent, he should want to stop evil & suffering but it still exists.
• What are some Christian solutions to the problem of evil and suffering?

  -God gave humans free will

  
  

  -Suffering is not God's fault - Adam & Eve used their free will to turn away

  
  

  -It is a part of God's plan

  
  

  -Balance is essential - you need to lose something to appreciate it.
• Who was Epicurus?

  Ancient Greek philosopher